Lost Lamb
by dulceata
Summary: A new transfer student with mysterious powers arrives on the fifth year's roster. What is her role in the oncoming conflict? And will she side with Harry or Draco, or... crossover with Inu Yasha
1. Arrival

**Disclaimer: **I own absolutely nothing related to Harry Potter or Inu Yasha, not the character, the book/ anime's storyline, nada. My claim to fame is this story's plot line and idea.

**Author's Note: **This is my first fic within this fandom, so let me know with constructive criticism or comments.

"Little lost lamb" she thought, with a wry smile at the odd term. With long black hair and bright blue eyes that were constantly changing shades, she was certainly no lamb. Trundling along with her trunk at Kings' Cross, she wondered at the odd quirks of wizards and their fractional platforms. "Platform nine and three quarters, _ada's_ pointy ears!" she muttered as she headed towards the brick wall, "and the Ministry still complains about the threat to security."

Once inside, she stood listening to the noises of the other students and their families, around the turmoil of boarding. She sighed slightly; already homesick for the peaceful quiet that she was accustomed to. Squaring her shoulders, she boarded the section for fifth years a bit nervous. Her father had insisted she transfer over to Hogwarts to assist in the coming conflict, and to find her mate. "Easier said than done," she scoffed internally, "considering the swarms of testosterone-filled males." Moving through the corridor, she passed by a boy with a slightly strained smile listening to a bushy haired girl natter on about homework. She gave him a small smile and a wink as she walked into an empty cabin. Moments later the two entered the cabin. At that point, the yet unnamed girl had her feet propped up and was reading intently. When the two came in she glanced up, waiting just long enough to make them squirm slightly and then, raising her eyebrow, began speaking. "Hello" she stated blankly. The bushy haired girl started and began chattering with a slightly snotty tone, "My name is Hermione Granger, and this is Neville Longbottom. Are you a transfer student?"

"It's nice to meet you Neville, Hermione" she said pointedly, causing Neville to blush a little, "and no I'm a random stranger who decided to get on a train whose only destination is Hogwarts for a joke," she stated sarcastically.

"Uhh… well then" Hermione tittered nervously, "what is your name?"

"My name is Kagome Alatariel, but you may call me Kagome, I have found that most mortals find it hard to pronounce." And with that statement she proceeded to ignore them, or at least tried to.

Hermione in a curious, but condescending, tone interrupted, "Mortal?"

Realizing that she would have no peace, Kagome put down her book. "Yes. I am of the -." But before she could continue, the cabin door was slammed open.

"Well Granger, I see they have continued to pity the poor Muggleborns by allowing them into the school." A pale boy with shoulder-length ash blonde hair and silver eyes stepped through the door and swept the cabin with his gaze. When his gaze landed on the blue-eyed girl, his eyes widened, and he seemed lost for words. For a few seconds there was silence. Then his demeanor changed completely. His eyes lost their steel and his posture softened. Sweeping a small bow with a completely straight face, he asked, " May I inquire for the fair lady's name?"

"Only if I may request the inquirer's?" she replied in the archaic form of court language.

Smiling slightly, he took her hand and brushed it softly with his lips, starting at the small spark of power. "I am Draco Malfoy, scion of the Malfoys of the veela nobility."

"Lord Malfoy," she acknowledged, " I am Kagome Alatariel, daughter of Alanasar, prince of the High Elven." Winking mockingly, she suddenly dropped court form, slumping onto the chair. "Now if you don't mind? I am trying to finish this book."

Laughing, Draco dropped into the chair next to herm "And what are reading, Kagome?"

The two proceeded to chatter about books, never noticing the sparks that increased in brightness every time they touched; nor did they notice the bitter looks Hermione directed towards them as Neville joined the conversation on the topic of herbology.

As Hermione left for the prefects' meeting she was thinking quickly, " A member of the royal family of elves would be very beneficial to my support. I've already got the boy-who-lived, but the Muggleborn can never have too much backing in wizard society." Hermione was intelligent, but she was also manipulative, and willing to use others to get her way. "Now all I've got to do is get her away from Malfoy. A quick dose of Mudblood name-calling should do."

Wandering off, she did not notice the dark-haired boy glaring out at her from one of the cabins, his green eyes gleaming from the shadows. "So, you've 'already got the boy-who-lived' have you?" he murmured silently. "We'll see about that."

When the girls went to change into school robes before arriving, Draco stepped out to the cabin with his housemates. Seating himself next to a dark haired Italian boy, he looked up with some alarm at the glazed looks in some of their eyes.

"Draco, you're doing it again," the boy murmured dizzily

."I'm sorry Blaise. I'm just a bit… excited," he said, sounding surprised with himself.

"Not for the school year I take it" Blaise said slyly, "perhaps something to do with yon blue-eyed beauty?"

Growling, Draco grabbed hold of the other boy's shirt and jerked him up in the air. And then stopped, eyes wide open in shock. "I am sorry Blaise, I don't know what came over me."

"Must be a veela thing," Blaise muttered cheerfully as he brushed of non-existent dust. "You do remember I don't swing that way, don't you?"

"Swing what way?" a musically feminine voice asked from the door.

"_Dios mio_! I just might change my mind" Blaise said as he looked over at the figure clad in slim jeans and a white shirt that just barely hinted at stomach. All framed in a dark blue-black robe that accented Kagome's eyes.

" E_llos son sólo ropa_ Blaise" she responded with a small chuckle.

___"No son las ropas las que son bellas, sino la mujer que las viste._"

Blushing, she introduced herself. As the train came to a stop she exited with the group and entered the carriage with them, pausing to gaze sadly at the thestrals. As the castle appeared she leaned over and brushed Draco' ear, whispering, " It's almost like home." He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes.

When they entered the castle, she was immediately led off by Professor McGonagall to be sorted.

Sitting down at his house's table, Draco let his eyes drift around the Great Hall. Blaise was flirting with Theodore, who looked slightly uncomfortable, Neville Longbottom was talking animatedly with the youngest Weasely and pointing towards the Sorting Hat and, ah, there was Granger nattering at Ronald Weasely in a high pitched voice as he stared wistfully at the empty plates. He looked up as Dumbledore began his speech.

"This year we have among us, along with our first years, a new transfer student to be sorted. Kagome Alatariel, please step up to the hat." She gracefully seated herself on the stool and placed the hat on her head.

"Hmm.. Lady Kagome, it has been a long time since I felt one of your kind here. You know I have no jurisdiction over your placement."

"Place me in Slytherin. I feel a sense of prejudice set up by the headmaster that I feel is necessary to disrupt."

"Very well then… SLYTHERIN!"

She got up and walked down the row of tables to the Slytherin table. She did not notice the wary and suspicious faces of most of the Gryffindors, as her eye was caught by the brilliant green gaze of a black haired boy with a lightning shaped scar, who was staring at her with equal magnitude. She stumbled slightly, falling into Draco, who had gotten up to greet her. Their lips touched briefly and a brilliant flash lit the room.

When the light faded, Draco and Kagome were on the ground, knocked out. Kagome was shielded from the floor by Draco's body. A great commotion erupted, and Madam Pomfrey was called. The green-eyed source of Kagome's distraction walked over as if in a trance. He bent down and laid his hand on the clasped hands of the two unconscious figures, and then slumped over. This caused further chaos and the prefects were ordered to clear the hall.


	2. Awareness

Much later, perhaps after midnight, Kagome opened her eyes. Stretching a bit, she felt someone watching hr from the shadows; and yet she felt completely safe, almost… protected. "Some inner tweaking to be worked out later," she mused, "as she definitely should not feel safe, of all things, when in a strange situation with a random person she knew nothing about staring at her." Sitting p completely, she continued stretching as she cautiously looked around the room.

"Well. That was certainly not the Hogwarts welcome I expected," she stated to the general darkness.

"And what did you expect _dulceata_?" a soft crooning voice asked from behind her. Taking a moment to analyze, she deduced that it was seductive in its melding of low huskiness and sweet smoothness, almost mesmerizing, and yet, powerful.

"There would have been more food, and definitely less knocked outedness" she said, turning to glance behind her. But her eyes were again caught by the green pools of the boy sitting in a chair near the fire. She was entranced by the way his Quidditch-born muscles moved as he leaned forward. After a brief silence, she continued, "On that note, where am I?"

"You are in Madame Pomfrey's domain. You… fainted at Malfoy's touch," he said, his lips twisting into a smirk.

"I do not faint." She stated this with blatant determination. At the raising of his eyebrow, she clarified, "I gracefully fall unconscious because of means beyond my control."

"Now whatever do you mean by that _dulceata_?" he murmured complacently.

"You know exactly what I mean… Lord Potter" she declared with a mocking smile. He smiled slightly at her challenge. "You cannot mean to deny our bond purely on racial lines?" she continued.

With that, she shook ff her glamour, revealing the pointed ears and almond- shaped eyes native to the high elves.

"And when you say our bond…?" he queried with no evidence of surprise.

He was baiting her, she realized, and so she ignored him, stretching languidly. "Oh that feels good. Those glamours itch" she whispered to the room in general.

"Lord Potter…" she started in a louder voice.

"Call me Harry, after all, I would think our… relationship calls for it."

"Fine, then you must stop calling me Romanian names that I do not understand. .My name is Kagome."

"Bloody hell! Why must you have this conversation now? Can't you let a veela get his beauty rest?" Draco demanded, sitting up and glaring at them blearily. "We're all mated together. Get over it and go back to sleep" he demanded as he pulled his covers up.

"Aren't you just the essence of romance?" she chucked. Creeping over to his bed she snuck under the covers and felt him pull her lose. " You really know how to proposition a girl," she murmured as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Do you think he's really processing this?" she whispered to Harry, "or is it just desperation for sleep?" As it was something of a rhetorical question, she was not surprised when he simply enlarged the bed and crawled in next to her, pulling them both close.

"You know, we're going to pay for this in the morning,,, _dulceata_" he chuckled softly, whispering into the crown of her head.

"Bloody draconian humor" she muttered as she drifted off.

She was awakened by the loud BANG of a potion glass hitting the floor. Opening her eyes she looked into the horrified eyes of a silver haired women in a nurse's uniform.

"It is much too early for histrionics," she thought darkly. Shifting to get up, she felt Draco's arm tighten around her waist.

"Let Potter deal with it" he whispered.

"You just want to watch his ass as he gets up," she whispered back.

"What can I say? I'm a veela, I appreciate the fine things in life," he said as he squinted against the light coming in from the window.

"You know, I can hear you quite well," Harry whispered conspiratorially as he got up to deal with a nurse in shock.


	3. Acceptance

As Harry was trying to sooth Madam Pomfrey, Kagome turned towards Draco with a questioning look.

Shifting so as to maintain his hold on her and to gain eye contact, Draco answered the look. " Harry understands that the Slytherins have to maintain a mask in order to protect themselves; so we called a truce last year and have become friends of a sot. Comrades in arms against Dumbledore's manipulations." Pausing momentarily he continued, "I am surprised, however, that as a veela I did not recognize him…" he frowned as he pondered, silently watching Harry, "It was probably because the bond could not come into effect until it was complete."

She sighed as she twirled a strand of his hair in her hand, enjoying the feeling of protectiveness.

Harry knelt down by the bed and rubbed his face with his hand. " I had to replace her memories. This is going to raise hell if Dumbledore finds out…"

Looking at them both, Kagome said "the we cannot make our bond public…"

Draco nodded, "Because of the pull of the bond we need to be able to make contact with each other. The Slytherins will accept Harry into our common room. You and Harry should have the public relationship. Especially with your ability not to be seen" he said with a wry twist of his lips.

"Thank you" Harry murmured as he kissed Draco's hand. Kagome brushed his cheek with her hand in silent understanding.

After a last moment's caress Kagome murmured, "We had better be going if we don't want to further wipe Madam Pomfrey's memory."

"If it becomes too much, don't hesitate to call" Harry said softly.

They got up, and Harry put his arm around Kagome's waist as they walked out with a last touch to Draco's cheek.

At the entrance to the Great Hall, they separated to go to their separate tables for breakfast, ignoring the sudden hush at their entrance. At the Slytherins looks she raised her eyebrow in censure, and made a small glance towards Dumbledore; they understood.

She felt a light poking at her mental defenses as she ate. Turning inwards, she gave a shove, and across the room Dumbledore sat back hard into his chair. As he came back for a closer look, obviously believing it to be a chance quirk, she placed an image of herself within her shields.

"I would not do that again, if I were you."

Outside, she gave no hint that such tumult was going on within her mind, and continued eating.

Blaise tapped her on the shoulder and inclined his head. She exited with him towards the dungeons.

Of course, the Slytherins jumped her as soon as they were out of hearing range of the others.

"What has happened?" Blaise was the first to demand.

"It appears that Draco is my mate –" she began.

"Yes, we thought so" Pansy interrupted. "His vela heritage called for one. But what of Harry Potter?"

"As I was saying, he is also my mate" Kagome continued.

"But we need the Slytherins to be encompassing of our desire to hide the relationship with Draco from Dumbledore" Harry stated as he stepped out of the shadows, smirking as Pansy jumped.

"Of course, Potter" Blaise said seriously. Then he grinned, "So she will be your girlfriend in public, as she is more… acceptable.

"Quite right" Harry purred.

"Now this, will be fun," Pansy murmured, her eyes shining at the prospect of pulling one over Dumbledore and the Gryffindors.

"It will not be possible to hide the bond forever" Harry added softly, "since the bond will increase in strength and pull. But I want to savor the peace."

"We understand" Blaise said, responding to the wistful mood. "Will you tell anyone within your house?"

"Neville" Kagome responded for him, noticing the sudden blush on Blaise's cheeks. Harry nodded, acceptingly.

"Yes. Neville can be trusted."

The group separated as they reached the hall containing the potion's classroom; Harry fading into the shadows, and the Slytherins entering the potion master's domain.


	4. Acknowledgement

As she entered the classroom, she cast a disparaging glace towards the giggling Hufflepuffs, and made her way towards her seat among the Slytherins. Her eye was caught by the speculating gaze of the slender man in billowing robes, who appeared to be the professor.

Just as the door was about to close, Draco rushed I, handed a note to the professor, and plunked down on the seat next to her.

As the professor's glare of doom finally silenced the Hufflepuffs, he began speaking.

"Today, you will be working on _Revelant_, a French potion that reveals auras" he murmured with a familiar accent. It reminded Kagome of her own language.

She glanced up sharply, looking closer at the professor, and saw the faint shimmer of a glamour. Before she could look closer, she was distracted by a sharp poke to her ribs.

"We can't make this potion, "Draco hissed. "Our auras will be the same and will cause questions. Even among the Hufflepuffs!"

"Can we cause an accident?" she whispered back.

"No, none of the materials are damaging. Besides, I have my reputation to protect" he huffed. "Severus is a skilled Oclumens…" he paused, "can you tell him mentally?"

"I have shields to prevent such things!" she hissed.

"Drop them," he ordered. Then, seeing her panic, he softened, "You can trust him, Kagome."

Nodding, she caught the eye of the professor and dropped her shields. After a moment, he nodded.

Ignoring her, he addressed Draco, "Mr. Malfoy, since I realize that this is a bit juvenile for you, I will allow you to attempt another potion."

Kagome felt Draco sigh in relief, and then tense as the professor added, "And I will see you after class to discuss your level of mastery, Miss Alatariel."

The class continued without incident until the bell.

As the students filed out, she remained behind, nodding reassuringly at Draco's worried look. She fully realized that he would be right outside the door, only making the impression of leaving.

"What is it you require, Lord Consort?" she said as soon as the last student had left the room. She recognized him now that she could focus on him and see past the illusion. He was consort and mate to one of the veela nobility.

"Your purpose here" he stated blatantly.

"To give succor to Lord Potter; first as challenger to the Dark Lord, and secondly… as my mate."

The professor did not seem all that surprised by such a statement. "And Draco?"

"She is also my mate" Draco stated as he re-entered the room. "You're looking well Severus."

Severus scowled at his humor as he dropped his glamour.

"So I take it you have already covered the possible consequences… and I will be seeing Potter in the common room tonight." Severus drawled to Draco.

At Draco's nod Severus inclined his head to Kagome. "It is good to have you here Lady Kagome." With that he proceeded to ignore them and she took it as a cue to leave.

Outside the classroom she kissed Draco on the cheek, and, after a hurried goodbye, went off to find her next class.

Her next class was History of Magic with the Gryffindors. At the classroom, she looked around bemusedly at the students transfiguring books into pillows, and making themselves comfortable. She sat down next to Harry, who put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Binns is a ghost," he explained, "and he is obsessed with the minutia of the Goblin Wars."

She looked at him as they leaned back into the pillows, marveling at how angelic he looked with his eyes closed and his face relaxed.

The peace was broken when a red haired boy marched up to them. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, "The Slytherins sit over there."

"Really?" she said in a fake valley girl voice and waved at Pansy, who waved back in a similar manner. "Wow I never would have guessed!" she gushed.

Harry rolled his eyes, and answered for her. "Well, since your always sitting with your girlfriend Ron. I didn't think you would mind me sitting with mine."

"Harry, you can't date her," Ron said stubbornly.

"I … can't?" Harry said smoothly with the hint of a threat in his voice. "Why ever not Ron?" he practically growled.

"Because she's evil," Ron stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He was completely oblivious to his danger.

Before Harry could do something that, he probably wouldn't regret but which would ruin his social standing, Kagome placed her hand on his arm, soothing him. Turning to Ron, she raised an eyebrow, "Wow. I'm evil without even realizing it. That's quite an accomplishment, isn't it?" Feeling Harry settle, she continued, "So tell me Weasley, how do you know I'm evil?"


	5. Appeasement

"You're Slytherin" he sneered at her.

"I am amazed and appalled at your incredible simplicity," she told him.

At the same time this conversation had been going on, Hermione was paying scant attention as she was off in her own happy place. With the relationship of Alatariel and Harry, she was assured of the elf's support. But with Ron's declaration she snapped back into reality. She moaned internally, he would ruin her well-laid plans with his pig headedness.

Most would call her attitude manipulative bitchiness, but really, her parents told each other, it was self-motivation.

Kagome's loyalty towards Slytherin barely fazed her as Hermione felt sure that she could convert her to a more… productive perspective. But, she really shouldn't let the argument get too far.

"Ron!" she called out, "Harry can date whom he wants. Now come sit down, you're disturbing the class."

Ron looked at their dozing classmates incredulously.

"I think the response you're looking for is 'how high?" Kagome stage whispered, causing Harry to hide his laugh in a cough.

His cheeks reddened in anger, Ron went to sit next to Hermione. The class passed in silence, broken only by the professor's droning voice and soft snores.

Passing out of the classroom, Kagome linked arms with Harry and kissed him on the cheek as she proceeded to ignore Ron's glare.

When they arrived at the Great Hall for supper, Kagome skipped off to the Slytherin table to join her housemates. As soon as she left, both Ron and Hermione accosted Harry.

"Harry! She's a Slytherin mate!" Ron blustered, "her parents are probably Death Eaters!"

"She's an elf, Ron" Harry explained coolly.

"So" Ron asked.

"Elves are notoriously neutral in wizard affairs. As a light elf, Alatariel is more inclined towards our side." As Ron fumed, she continued, "Harry, you know I'll support you in whomever you decide to be with."

Harry mentally rolled his eyes at her bullshit. He grew steadily more inflamed as Ron continued his accusations and Hermione continued to assure him.

At the Slytherin table, Draco, as a veela, was reacting to his mate's distress by becoming more and more agitated. When he began trembling Kagome, who had been trying to calm him, caught Pansy and Blaise's eyes and inclined her head towards Draco. They nodded and hid Draco from view by surrounding him as they ushered him out of the Hall in the direction of the Slytherin dorms.

Harry, catching sight of their departure, growled and bit out "Enough!" He stormed out of the hall without acknowledging the Gryffindor's uproar.

As soon as he was sure he was out of sight of any curious students, he allowed himself to fade into the shadows, using them to quickly catch up to the Slytherins ant the entrance to the dorms. By this point, Draco had begun to hyperventilate as the prolonged absence of his dominant had made him more susceptible to his emotions.

As soon as they were within the safety of the common room, Draco collapsed on a couch, his eyes shifting from their normal silver to black, and back again. Kagome sank down next to him, and Harry rushed over. Draco clutched at them and slowly began to calm down; relaxing to the vibrations of the soft rumbling Harry was releasing in and instinctive response.

Once he was lucid, Kagome crawled onto the couch and cuddled next to him. Harry lifted Draco's head onto his lap as Kagome snuggled into his shoulder. It was this tangle of limbs that Severus walked in on.

Harry gazed at him through half lidded eyes as the other two dozed in security. Pansy and Blaise were sprawled in the surrounding chairs, silently working. Knowing that Harry was waiting for him to make the first move, Severus sighed.

"The headmaster wants to see Kagome."

Harry's eyes flashed fully open. "And we all must soothe the headmaster's desires" he purred darkly.

Draco awoke at the disturbance, "I could – " he started.

"You may not," Harry answered.

Surprisingly, Draco backed down without a word and only moved tow awaken Kagome. When she awoke, Severus repeated his message. Kagome quirked a smile at him and headed for the exit.

At the portrait, which she knew led to the headmaster's office, she rolled her eyes in amusement at his childishness. Ignoring the need for a password, she waved her hand and cast a silent opening command. The portrait swung open begrudgingly and she walked into the office.

"Headmaster" she greeted curtly.

"Ahh, Lady Alatariel, would you care for a lemon drop?" he asked.

"No thank you headmaster" she answered shortly.

"Well then, may I ask, what are the elves presence her meant to state my dear?" Dumbledore queried with his ever-present twinkle.

"That is not your concern. We are not here to deal with you," she stated placidly.

"The elves have always sided with the light - "

Interrupting him, she said, "As it stands, there is no obvious light and dark. Since you have taken things too far, our allegiance is with Lord Potter."

"Come, my dear, I hardly think you are old enough to make such judgments" he said, continuously twinkling.

"At two hundred years old I must disagree" Kagome said stiffly. "But if you wish to discuss such decisions with my brother, Lord Taisho, that is your prerogative."

Although Sesshoumaru shared no direct blood relationship with her, he had declared her pack sister, a title of immense respect that implied his protection, which was no small thing. By using his name, Kagome was telling Dumbledore that she was perfectly willing to move outside of the established elven policy.

Dumbledore actually paled, the twinkle gone for once as he said, "No, that won't be necessary."


	6. Awakening

When Kagome entered the common room she fully expected to see Draco and Harry still ensconced on the couch. Thus, she was not surprised to see them inhabiting the same chair in a very squished manner. Gazing at them for a moment she slowly let the mischievous kitsune side of her personality come out to play. Gathering her power, she shifted into the form she used to play with her inu brother, a large silver wolf with her own bright blue eyes. She inched towards them in the silent manner of the wolf, reached out, and licked Draco wetly on the cheek.

Draco, who was at that time enjoying a rather nice dream of winning the quidditch world cup, woke slowly at the warm wetness. He hummed in the simple pleasure of waking up in comfort, and turned to look at what had disturbed his sleep. He looked right into the face of, what appeared to be the open mouth of a wolf, but was actually a smiling wolf, and shrieked. Now of course it was a very manful shriek, but the consequent clamoring higher into Harry's lap and burying of his face into Harry's shoulder ruined the effect.

Harry woke up quickly when Draco effectively jumped him. His eyes alert, he took in the panicking Draco and the laughing wolf in a glance, allowing a wry smile to crawl across his face. He then commenced to pull out his own personal kitsune. Climbing out from under a clingy Draco, he took up the typical posture of a superhero.

"Never fear. I shall save you!" he proclaimed pushing out his chest ridiculously, and so saying he leaped at the wolf. They rolled around on the floor causing havoc to the furniture and left over books. All the while Harry continued to shout cheesy heroic lines. At the same time the Slytherins were all piled on the stairs, awakened by the noise, and staring bemusedly at the hero of the wizarding world wrestling with a wolf of all things.

Finally, Kagome shifted back into her natural form, at which she was tickled mercilessly by Harry. Draco, who had soon lost his terror at Harry's antics, proceeded to pout at the prank made at his expense.

Harry and Kagome glanced towards each other with similar gleams in their eyes. Using a tactic familiar to all generals, they surrounded Draco and surprised him with a synchronized tickle attack, the most deadly of all attacks to his arrogant pretensions. Draco soon succumbed, and the three soon forgot the troubles of the days ahead.

Lying together in a mad tumble of happy exhaustion they soon fell asleep,curled around each other.

The next morning, Draco was the first to awaken. For a few minutes he just lay there, reveling in memories of last night, one of the few moments when he was free to show his true emotions and laugh.

Kagome was snuggled tightly against his chest, and Harry lay on his stomach with his arm across both of their torsos. Smiling at the slightly pouting lips that Harry's face formed as he slept, he nudged Kagome gently to wake her up. Together, they bustled around the room getting ready, allowing Harry a few more moments of peace. Both understood that he would need all he could get.

After a few minutes, Harry woke himself up. He grumbled to himself about the horrendous fate that morning people deserved and got ready. When everyone was ready with collars fixed and wrinkles smoothed, they made their way down to the Great Hall.

At the doors, Harry and Kagome shared a smoldering look and split for their respective tables. Once at the table, Kagome immediately transfigured the pumpkin juice into a mocha.

Draco looked at the caffeine filled beverage in disgust. "You know that will make you old before your time?" he remarked dryly.

Kagome looked at him blankly, "Sweety, I'm an elf. It doesn't really matter." He huffed in response and tried to steal a sip. "Hypocrite" she growled teasingly as she shielded her drink with her arms.

Draco drew himself up in teasing umbrage, "I am appalled at what you imply Alatariel. A Malfoy is never a hypocrite. We are simply too complex for your plebeian minds to comprehend" he said as he proceeded to transfigure his own drink.

"Oh so that's why I don't understand when you say 'I will never drink caffeine' and yet here you are chugging away" Blaise said with an air of wonder.

"You wound me Zabini" Draco proclaimed dramatically.

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Harry had seated himself next to Neville at the far end of the table. "Neville" he said softly, "I need to speak with you in private."

Neville nodded slightly, "behind the Herbology greenhouse during lunch" he answered.

Their conversation was interrupted with the flurry of owl wings as the mail arrived. Harry looked down at the arrival of the Daily Prophet.

"Hmm" he mused, "it would seem the erstwhile Lord Malfoy has performed yet another acrobatic leap of loyalty."

Looking down at the headlines Neville understood his cryptic remark. **Malfoy Claims Magical Inability to Support You-Know-Who!**


	7. Becoming

The breakfast continued with the atypical uproar from the youngest male Weasley on the evil of all things related to Malfoy, and how he would get what was coming from him. Harry nodded at all the appropriate moments and gasped in outrage when prompted, all the while thinking of how soon he could finalize the bonding.

He pondered this question on his way to Herbology and decided to ask the advice of Draco. As a veela he was more knowledgeable on the intimacies of sexual relations, plus he had a better chance of sounding out Kagome, since he would not be in charge of the proceedings. Smiling at this deduction he did not notice his housemates' strange glances at his reaction to the professor's announcement that they would be extracting Bubulous Pus.

As soon as class had finished and everyone had dashed off to lunch, he grabbed Neville and subtly wandered off behind the greenhouse, as if looking for a good picnic spot. Once they were hidden in the shadow of its green walls, he turned to Neville.

"Kagome is my bond mate" Harry stated bluntly.

"I know" Neville answered.

"So is Draco."

Neville paused for a moment. "You have a trio! That is an incredibly powerful combination!"

"I know" Harry answered cheekily.

After a brief explanation of his reasoning for hiding the bond, and Neville's agreement, the two hurried off to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and their new professor.

At the doors they saw the Slytherins already seated on once side of the room, and a small, round woman with a smashed in bulging face that was so similar to a toad that many of the students were subconsciously waiting for her to croak, at the front of the room. When she finally spoke, it was surprising, and somewhat nauseating, to hear a sweet little girl's voice come from her mouth.

"Thus Satan spoke" she whispered to Draco, who struggled not to laugh. Harry was looking suitably appalled as the woman continued to sprout the Ministry's spiel that the Dark Lord had not returned, and that it was really a figment of an attention seeking little boy. Of course nobody except the three knew that it was the 'little boy' that really got to him.

"That's not true" he interrupted the woman.

Now Mr. Potter" she said sweetly, "haven't you ever been taught that you must not tell lies?" She walked towards his desk with a predatory smirk, anticipating the way he would flinch as her magic quills dug into his skin.

As the strangely toad-like woman approached her Harry with an almost malicious look, she scowled internally. How dare she think to harm him?! She let her glamour slip for a moment, allowing the woman a flash of her ears.

She sent a small mental message, "Back off." However the woman was apparently incredibly stupid as she proceeded to ignore her. This put Kagome in a dilemma as she could not afford to break her cover by actively confronting the woman with her bonded status. So, she proceeded to scream, and using the age old tactic of well-born women, she fainted. Fortunately Umbrage was sufficiently distracted as to forget her ire at Harry. After a few tense minutes she suddenly "awoke" and blinked faintly up into Draco's face.

Whether it was the lack of knowledge of her race, or the fear of her political influence, the Toad Woman, as she proceeded to call her in private, allowed her to get away with claiming that she had sensed a dark aura. Of course, the excuse had been justified by Severus opportune arrival, as the Ministry was very suspicious of his activities as a spy.

The class continued with Kagome's glare constricting Harry to more politic dialogue, and at the end, both survived unscathed and without detention. She clung to Draco as they exited the classroom on their way to dinner, covering for his lethargic movements due to the absence of contact. Dinner progressed with both Harry and Draco leaving early. Kagome remained behind to socialize with the Slytherins and to avert any suspicions about Harry's activities.

After leaving, she decided take a short cut through the professors' section of the dungeons.

When she entered the area of the dungeon near where Severus' rooms were located, she sensed someone watching her. She felt power that was strangely similar to Draco's. She stilled and turned to the shadows where she sensed the presence.

"I welcome thee High Lord Malfoy." She spoke softly in the court dialect, inclining her head as one noble to another.

A tall, statuesque man with fine blond hair that reached his shoulders, stepped into the light.

"Well this is... different" Lucius stated as he glanced towards Kagome, "I am usually faced with unabashed prejudice."

"I found it unlikely that you would indulge in loyalties that endangered your mate, Lord Malfoy" Kagome said, wryly.

"Aah, of course" he answered. As he moved towards Severus' room, he said, "Tell Draco I said congratulations." And with that cryptic remark, he disappeared around a corner.

Not surprisingly, Severus was much happier during his first year potion's class the next morning. Not that any of them could tell.


	8. Bewilderment

When Harry finally broached the topic of consummation to Draco, he was greeted with a laugh and the information that Kagome had already told him that she wanted to wait until Samhain. Samhain, as perhaps the night when magic was the most closely tied to this dimension, would cement their bond irrevocably. Draco then proceeded to mock him about his supposed comprehension of Kagome's prudery.

"And I suppose we're going to call it 'going between the sheets' are we?" he cackled, "because of course we must preserve her ladylike modesty!"

Harry glowered at him and, blushing, stomped off to the sounds of Draco's laughter. The topic did not come up again, although Harry was noticeably more relaxed and flirtatious with the two. Even going so far as two drag Kagome into a deserted classroom for a quick moment of necking, which she enjoyed immensely.

The days passed without any large disturbances. The schism between the Golden Trio became even more apparent as the bond between Harry and the Slytherins deepened in private. Hermione was becoming more and more suspicious of Kagome's relationship with Harry and her concurrent friendship with Draco. After all it made absolutely no sense that the Prince of Slytherin would condone any friend of his having cordial relations with a Gryffindor of all things. But she had nothing concrete, only a small niggling in the back of her head. Ron's attitude had not changed, he had always hated Slytherins and he would always hate Slytherins, but he gradually began to lump Harry in that same category. And this was the status quo as the weeks progressed.

The much anticipated Quidditch season finally arrived to the joy of Harry and Draco. Kagome rapidly became adored by both Slytherin and Gryffindor players, and hated by the other houses. She was an avid fan and came to both Draco and Harry's games. Cheering for them against their opposition. She was nicknamed the Seeker's Luck, as her focus never varied far from the seeker. As the match between the Gryffindors and Slytherins approached, everyone wondered which seeker she would bring luck to, her boyfriend or her best friend.

In the locker room the Slytherin team was gathered before the game, with an audience of Kagome and Harry. Stomping over dramatically, Draco stopped in front of Kagome in his emerald Quidditch robes.

"Wish me luck" he said demandingly. She grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him into a deep kiss.

"Luck" she whispered amidst the hoots of his teammates. He blinked dazedly for a moment, and then smirked as he exited with his team. And they were his team; not because of the new brooms, but because they trusted him implicitly.

"Don't I get a little luck?" Harry whinged pathetically after the Slytherins had exited.

"You _monsieur_ don't need it" she said tartly. "And besides, you get the victory kiss when you completely trump Slytherin." He smirked and pulled her into a kiss anyway.

Dashing out, Harry flew up with the Gryffindor team, making a figure eight just for the heck of it. The game started off with Lee continuing his totally unbiased commenting. The Slytherins were in the lead with six scores to the Gryffindors five, when there was a collective gasp as Draco suddenly dove straight down. Kagome cried out and covered her eyes. Harry followed, but Draco pulled out at the last minute, but Harry pulled up just a second later.

"And Malfoy pulls off a Wronski Feint, who'd have thought" Lee shouted. The Gryffindors booed and Harry continued to circle the field.

The game continued with Gryffindor scoring a point and coming even with Slytherin. All eyes turned to Harry as he sped up suddenly with Draco hot on his heels. At the point where the spectators could only see them as green and red blurs, Harry pulled up suddenly, causing Draco to overshoot. He then dove at the Ravenclaw stands, and right before it seemed as if he would hit the stands, he twisted his broom down and back, somersaulting, and came outwith a winged golden ball in his hands.

"Nice moves Potter" Draco commented as he flew down to where Harry had landed. Harry's lips twitched in amusement at his double entende. Just then Kagome flew into Harry's arms and he laughingly kissed her. Then she turned to Draco and hugged him. He pretended to look affronted at the public display of affection, but his eyes softened. All onlookers were appeased with this apparent solution to Kagome's division of loyalty, except one. Hermione's eyes narrowed as she pondered just why Kagome hugged Draco when she had never made such a move before, at least not in public. Sure they had been the epitome of close friends, but there had always been some kind of invisible barrier between any non-platonic contact.


	9. Betrayal

It was a week after the Gryffindor-Slytherin match that matters came to a head.

Kagome was curled up in one of the library's numerous chairs when Harry walked in. He walked stiffly, as if his clothing was uncomfortable.

Sitting down next to her, he asked bluntly, "Kagome. Are you having sex with Malfoy?"

Kagome looked up sharply. After looking at him closely, her posture stiffened in a way commonly seen in felines about to attack. "How dare you?" she hissed. "How dare you expose me to your ignorant accusations? _Granger_!" With a small flick of her wrist, the appearance of the Boy Who Lived shifted into that of the Girl Who Thought She Knew Everything.

"How did you..." Hermione began, "but of course. Your an elf."

"Actually, I'm just a better witch than you" Kagome said bitingly. As Hermione stood speechless, Kagome gazed at her consideringly. Just as Hermione regained her composure, she spoke. "So you wanted to be a boy did you?" she purred. "Well then, wish granted" she said as she waved her hand in silent incantation.

"What?" Hermione started before her face paled as she glanced downwards. She looked back up at Kagome.

"Yes?" Kagome asked with a raised eyebrow. Hermione scurried off.

The summons came later than expected; they came once she was in the Slytherin common room after dinner.

"Kagome. What did you do now?" Draco asked with exasperation.

"What ever do you mean Draco darling? She asked with an angelic smile.

"Severus told me to tell you to get to the headmaster's office. Apparently, as your head of house he must be there to answer for your behavior. He also told me to tell you to stop taking justice into your own hands. Of course he ruined it by smiling... Now, what did you do?" he huffed.

"Granger was getting too nosy for her own good so let's just say she underwent a sudden anatomical change..." She left to the symphony of Slytherins roaring in laughter as Draco scowled.

"Miss Alatariel" Dumbledore started as soon as she arrived, "Miss Granger here claims that you are responsible for certain anatomical changes she has undergone."

Kagome raised her eyebrows at him. "Perhaps you could clarify Headmaster?" Over his shoulder she saw Severus' mouth twitch. He had obviously been made aware of the situation.

"It seems Miss Granger has gained certain aspects of the male form" Severus drawled.

"Miss Alatariel, I am afraid that I am going to have to suspend you" Dumbledore said with a victorious gleam in his eye.

"Actually Headmaster, the school code states that suspension may be used as punishment only if the suspendee cannot provide a justified explanation..."

"Well my dear" Dumbledore prompted.

"In my case . I was unaware Granger had any qualms about the male form seeing as she caused herself to take the form of Harry Potter." Pausing for a moment she glanced up at Severus, "Correct me if I'm wrong, professor, but is not the unregulated use of the Polyjuice potion by a student, particularly for the purpose of malicious gossip, just a tad bit illegal?" she asked innocently.

Before Severus could answer, Dumbledore jumped in, "Now my dear, I'm sure Miss Granger had a good reason-"

"A good reason for asking me if I was having sex with Draco Malfoy? I'd be interested in hearing it." She waited expectantly for a moment. As the silence continued unbroken, she spoke, "Nevertheless, I highly doubt even the best of intention justifies the illegal use of a possibly harmful potion, and it cannot protect her from _laisser la punition ajuste le crime_."

"I was doing it for Harry!" Hermione blurted out.

"Really?" Kagome drawled. "If that's so, my sexual activities, such as they are, are no one's business but mine, Harry's and anyone I am accused of being promiscuous with."

"Then you were behaving indiscreetly?" Dumbledore asked with false gentility.

Kagome's gaze darkened, "Headmaster Dumbledore, if you are questioning my honor you are in effect challenging me and mine to a Warrior's Duel. As it were, my actions, none of which are 'indiscreet,' are none of your concern."

"I do not see how that is much of a threat" Hermione said snidely, "Dumbledore is a well respected duelist who has - "

"But you misunderstand Granger" Kagome said condescendingly. "You speak of a Wizard's Duel. A Warrior's Duel is purely physical. No magic."

"So you would hide behind your family name? I see Malfoy has influenced you" she sneered.

"No" Kagome answered, "I would answer the challenge. I am quite proficient with a sword." She bared her teeth in a pseudo smile, "Would you like to test my claim?" As Hermione did not answer, Kagome's gaze moved to Dumbledore. "If that is all, Headmaster? It would seem you need a different head of house for your... meeting."

"Alatariel. Who are you to believe you are above the law?" Hermione accused, not knowing when to stop.

"At this point I am not the one being accused. Under _laisser la punition ajuste le crime, _let the punishment fit the crime, you are the one being accused" she answered. "So the question is, why do you believe you are above the law?" She paused, "If I am correct, illegal use of potions requires a minimum of expulsion." Hermione paled. "But I will compromise with the removal of her status as Prefect."

"Very well"Dumbledore sighed, knowing it was either that or the removal of his most zealous tool.

With a nod, Kagome and Severus swept out of the office.

After they left, Hermione turned to Dumbledore. "Why did she act as if she had the right to dictate punishment?" she demanded.

Dumbledore sighed, "Your actions were against her. So she is the... I suppose you would say, victim... as well as the unjustly accused. Technically she could have demanded your expulsion" he explained. "In addition, she has quite a large political clout." If possible, Hermione paled even further.

After leaving Dumbledore's office, Hermione decided to seek restitution by informing Harry of the situation. She mistakenly believed he would be hold righteous anger in her favor, and thus balance Kagome's 'political clout.'

"Harry," Hermione started as she approached his seated form, "I'm worried about Kagome's relationship with Malfoy" she said in her concerned friend form.

"Yes, she told me about that" Harry said, his eyes darkening. "Having fun with your new additions, Hermione?" She blinked in surprise. This was not supposed to happen! Harry was supposed to move at her direction! Her eyes darkened and she whirled around to find the only one she was sure would follow her, Ron.


	10. Belligerence

Ron stomped up to her as she was walking through the halls on her way to Transfiguration.

"How could you do that to Hermione!" he demanded. His skin matching the color of his hair.

"Ah the famous Weasley temper comes into play" she muttered to herself. Looking up, she froze him with her gaze. "Quite easily, actually."

"You pointy eared bitch!" he snarled as he slapped her. Her head snapped to the side, and she blinked in surprise.

"You are a ill mannered boar, Weasley" she said smoothly, turning her cheek. "And one day you'll pay for that... but not today. I have something more important to do..."

"I disagree" Draco drawled as he stepped around the corner. "I feel inclined to make him pay today."

"You'll be late" she reminded him. He shrugged, "Fine then, I acquiesce to your... inclination" she said softly as she stepped towards the door to class. "But may I a dd, that you hit like a girl Weasley."

"Come Weasley. Let's have a chat" Draco said, gripping Ron's arm as Kagome closed the door behind her.

"What the fuck!" Ron bit out as he tried to free his arm. Draco grinned evilly as he dragged Ron into an empty classroom further away from the Transfiguration room. It wouldn't do for someone to hear his screams, Draco reasoned.

None of the Slytherins were surprised the next morning when Ron appeared with a black eye, a broken finger and various bruises,.

"I went easy on him, "Draco reassured Kagome, smirking.

Draco appeared unharmed. After all, one didn't have veela strength and expect it to go to waste.

Over the next two weeks after Ron was healed, there was a tense atmosphere in Gryffindor, since the chip on his shoulder was even bigger.

"What do you expect when he's not getting any?" Kagome reasoned to Harry when he complained. Behind him Draco snorted. "It should wear off in a couple more days" she reassured.

Halloween was quickly approaching, and all the students were anticipating the Halloween dance that Dumbledore had called for. The three bonded were excited for a completely different reason.

On the day before the big event, one of those moments of drama occurred that put everything into perspective.

"How could he do this to me!?" Pansy wailed. Kagome handed her a cup of Firewhiskey, smuggled in courtesy of Millicent. She had just received her weekly letter from her boyfriend at Durmstrang, and had rushed into the Slytherin haven. Apparently there would no longer be weekly letters.

'It will be all right" she reassured. Pansy gulped the glass down and continued to sob. Sighing, Kagome poured her another glass, and then poured herself one.

By their their third glass, they had decided that men were useless. By the sixth glass they had agreed that the world should be ruled by flying monkeys.

Around the corner Harry and Draco watched with wide eyes as the girls toasted the aerial capabilities of primates..

"That's just scary" Draco whimpered to Harry. Harry nodded as he held out his hand to stop Blaise from entering.

"It's for your own good mate" he said solemnly. Blaise gulped and backed away slowly.

"And then we'll turn them into frogs" Pansy slurred and slumped over.

Kagome leaned back and swished her glass around, revealing that she had transfigured it into water.

"Would one of you boys carry her up to bed?" she called out.

The next morning, a Saturday, all was back to normal as Pansy had decided she would reply with a letter full of the freshly extracted Bubulous Pus. It was decided that Draco would take Pansy to the dance to cover for both of their relationship statuses. After that small detail was taken care of, the girls proceeded to abandon the boys and shut themselves in the girls' dorm to work on their costumes.

Every so often the bored boys would hear a small shriek, or catch a phrase or two. They already knew what their costumes were going to be, the girls had dictated it to them weeks ago.

When they finally emerged for dinner, the boys leaped on them and stormed them with questions and pleas to receive just a hint or just one peek. The girls smugly denied all requests and pranced off to the Great Hall, all drama of the night before forgotten.

Tomorrow was the big night.


	11. Bewitching

Finally the night of the dance had arrived, and all of the boys were assembled in the common room waiting for their respective dates to make an appearance. Draco and Harry were sitting huddled up together on one of the couches. Draco was resting his head between Harry's arm and neck, breathing in Harry's scent of pine and cinnamon, and Harry was absently running his fingers through Draco's hair. At a sound, they both looked up, and clamored off the couch to meet their completion.

She stood at the top of the stairs to the girls' chambers dressed in a deep blue dress that clung to her curves and that had long draping sleeves in the fashion of the ladies of the medieval courts. Her bodice was of creamy cloth and silver lacing; and her hair hung loose in a dark cascade down her back. Upon her head she wore a silver circlet.

At the bottom of the steps Harry stood in a loose white shirt with billowing sleeves that was covered by a forest green tunic with the Cornwall insignia on his shoulder. He wore dark breeches that were covered by knee length boots. He also wore a silver circlet upon his head.

"My Iseult" he murmured, extending his hand to her.

"My Tristan" she answered as she accepted his hand. They stood gazing into each others eyes without moving.

The moment was broken with Draco's utterance, "I cannot believe I am wearing tights!" He leaned over a kissed Kagome on the cheek.

His outfit was similar to Harry's, except his was royal blue with the Du Loc insignia.

"Ah but you make such a fine Lancelot" Blaise smirked, clasping his hand on Draco's shoulder. In a dark crimson shirt and black slacks, he was dressed as the atypical vampire.

"Ah. My Gwenhwyfar" Draco said dolefully as Pansy entered in a light blue dress and a golden circlet.

"Well you needn't act so happy about it" she teased.

The final primping completed, they exited through the picture frame. As they passed through, Harry leaned over and whispered, "_Te iubesc_." She scowled at his use of Romanian and he mouthed "I love you." She smiled and squeezed his hand as she leaned over to kiss Draco on the cheek as he passed. Pansy just rolled her eyes.

Entering the Great Hall they found themselves in a mass of strange beings, from Marilyn Monroe wannabes to the surprisingly unique costume of Granger, a witch a la Wizard of Oz. Harry snorted as they passed her on their way to the refreshment stand.

I don't dance" Harry growled, finally fed up with her begging. She watched Draco and Pansy whirl by disconsolately.

"Fine then. Blaise?" She turned to the Italian boy beside her.

"_Por supuesto. Soy encantado"_ he answered, taking her arm and leading her out to the floor for the next dance, which happened to be a tango. "So I am to be the sacrificial lamb, eh?" Blaise queried as he led her into a _medio corte_.

"Whatever do you mean?" Kagome asked innocently.

Blaise mock glared at her. "The only way you will get Harry to dance is if you make him sufficiently jealous, so that he has to reinforce his dominance."

"Wow. There's actually a brain behind those blinding good looks" she teased.

"Why do you sound so surprised" he said mournfully.

Before she could respond, Harry tapped Blaise on the shoulder and cut in.

"Change your mind?" she asked sweetly.

He scowled at her as they continued. "You are entirely too Slytherin for your own good.

She got in a good three dances before he ditched her for the appetizers, and she dragged Draco away from Pansy for two more.

As the lights were dimming and couples began to drift away, Kagome caught the eye of Harry and Draco, and they made their own way out. Severus had vacated one of his suite's private rooms for them, well understanding the need for such privacy.

As they entered the room Kagome leaned over to Harry. "So, 'between the sheets'?" she whispered.

Harry groaned, "I am never going to live that down, am I _dulceata_?"

Without waiting for a reply, he leaned down and took her mouth in a mind blowing, back arching kiss. She reached up and grasped his shoulders as she let his tongue begin exploring her mouth. Behind her she felt Draco come up and begin nibbling at her neck as his fingers played over her stomach. When his lips reached her ear lobes, she jerked in surprised pleasure. Coming up for air she drew off his tunic and began unbuttoning Draco's shirt as Harry switched his attention to Draco. Draco cupped Harry's face to allow more access as there tongues battled each other for dominance. Kagome mewled and snuggled between them, seeking attention. They turned to her and Harry began unlacing her dress as Draco knelt down and drew off her shoes. As he began sucking on her toes, she held his head for balance, and Harry drew the rest of the dress off her. In her undergarments she knelt down and began unlacing Harry's boots, looking up at him through her lashes as she heard his breath quicken. At the point where Harry was in only his boxers, and Draco stood in his shirt, Harry reached around and unclasped her bra. Cupping her breasts, he drew her gently onto the bed and began licking up her stomach. Draco was paying attention to Harry's pleasure by gently nipping at his neck and ear tips, causing Harry to rumble into her stomach. Kagome reached over and began exploring the way Draco's Seeker muscles moved with her fingertips. Tracing over silver scars, she felt him shiver in pleasure. They gradually worked their way to each others more sensitive spots, allowing each one to become comfortable with the familiarity.

As the night wore on they gained an implicit understanding of each others bodies, fully reveling in the consummation of their bond.

**Author's note: Not sure how stringent the regulations on explicit content are...**


	12. Beginning

They lay in tangled disorganization, like a form of Celtic knots, limbs entwined. Kagome lay with her head and torso on Harry's chest, while Draco had flung an arm and a leg over her. Harry had one arm around Kagome's waist and another under Draco's head.

Kagome woke to the warmth of bodies and the feeling of protection. She sighed happily and snuggled further into the crook of Harry's neck and shoulder as he unconsciously tightened his arm around her. Harry woke next, and silently began playing with the strands of Draco's hair. Draco grumbled in his sleep.

Glow of happiness and safety that Draco felt through the bond, caused him to wake gradually and gently. He tightened his hold on Kagome and, to Harry's amusement, began to purr. It was new, this bonding,and it was wonderful. There were no boundaries. They were one and they were separate; it was an interesting paradox. Through the bond they could feel each others presence and sense emotions. They could not read minds, but there was a large degree of wordless communication. The feeling of belonging washed over them in waves of contentment.

The minutes passed in the midst of the feeling. An insistent knocking finally broke the silence. Three pairs of eyes snapped towards the door, and almost glowed with annoyance. Their senses identified the intruder as Severus, and they were... perturbed, to put it lightly, at his intrusion.

"I know you are presently absorbed in post-coital bliss" Severus snarked, "but it would be wise to send one of you o the Great Hall to alleviate the Headmaster's suspicions."

Harry and Draco growled at the mention of Dumbledore, and the three began searching for their clothes. There was no way they would separate so soon.

Kagome stopped them before they could open the door. "When should we announce Draco's involvement?" she asked seriously.

"We need to ensure that there is no way the bond can be ignored" Harry answered as Draco fussed with his collar. He batted his hands away when Draco went to fix his tie.

Huffing, Draco turned to Kagome, "We'll need to undergo a form of marriage that the Ministry will recognize. Not just a shag-fest" he smirked.

Kagome looked pensive but she managed to greet Severus and Lucius with a blushing "good morning."

Draco bustled them out when he caught sight of the mischievous gleam in his father's eyes, dreading the invariable "how was it?" that he knew his father would just love to ask.

After they had left, Lucius and Severus sat congenially sipping coffee as they read their respective choices in literature. Lucius was reading the Daily Prophet and smirking at his peers' inadequacies, while Severus pored over an old potions journal. Every so often there fingers would brush together in comfortable reassurance as they reached for a scone or some other trivial thing. They were so used to each other that their movements were almost synchronized. They never knocked into each other, never reached for the same thing, and they never spilled.

The hour in which the students were eating breakfast passed quickly, and as the time of his first potions class approached, Severus closed his journal with a sigh and began to gather his notes. Lucius set down his newspaper and gazed at his mate.

"Sev? Do you think they'll make it?" Severus turned to him and placed his hand on Lucius' arm. "I'm sure they will."

Lucius was silent for a moment, turning his gaze towards the door the three had exited through. "This bonding should hold for awhile. But Draco will soon need to come out with his involvement. He is more susceptible in his need for his dominant, and if he does not receive constant contact, he may begin to undergo symptoms of rejection." Severus hummed in contemplation. "I will need to look into getting them a marriage contract" Lucius murmured. "Have a good day my Severus" he said as he kissed Severus on the forehead before he left.


	13. Consternation

After choosing their usual seating within the Great Hall, the chaos of the owls commenced. And when Neville bent over to read the letter he had received, his collar shifted to reveal a small mark. Seeing it, Harry smiled and lent over towards him.

"Busy night Neville?" he whispered, nodding towards the mark. Neville flushed and pulled his collar up.

Recovering he smirked, "And you?" Harry chuckled, enjoying the Gryffindor's new, more daring attitude.

"But of course."

At Slytherin table, Blaise was preening at a similar conversation.

Neville smiled at Kagome, "It seems your house has become the new eligible bachelor, or bachelorette." She laughed at that while Ron scowled. Before Ron could speak she shot a dark glare towards him, which stopped him from even considering uttering a sound.

"Which reminds me" Neville turned to Harry, "how have you been managing to ensure that no one notices your absences while you've been... away?"

Kagome snorted at his editing and Harry smiled. "Simple. Just close your bed curtains and cast a silence charm, then sneak out when they're asleep. It helps that, as Gryffindors, no one is surprised if you oversleep, so they never bother to check your bed" he whispered.

"Aah" Neville thought for a moment, and then a positively wicked grin appeared on his face as he glanced towards the Slytherin table. "Thank you oh wise guru."

"I see you're working hard at completely corrupting Neville" Hermione said disapprovingly from behind them.

Neville turned around with a beautific innocent smile, "Hermione! Harry was just telling me how much fun it is to sacrifice virgins on the night of the new moon!" She stared at him appalled. "Your not a virgin are you Hermione?" he asked with fake concern, turning to Kagome he stage whispered, "I don't think she'd make a very good one... aren't they supposed to be pure and innocent?"

Hermione swung around and stomped off, most likely to report their satanic tendencies.

"Good one Neville" Harry laughed.

"I do try" Neville said with a small bow and slight smile.

Blaise stared in complete surprise as Draco leaned towards him, "Are you sure you know what you're getting into Zabini?" he laughed. Getting up, he walked over to the Gryffindors. Leaning down, he slipped into court formality "Since you three have become such Slytherin delinquents, I formally invite you to feast at our table at your leisure. There you shall enjoy your satanic tendencies in the company of your peers." He swept into an elaborate bow and swirled his cape as he returned to his table. Ron's face turned purple when they moved to join him, although no one was sure if that wasn't because he was choking on the over-large bite of haggis he had taken.

With such a public declaration of trust in favor of the supposed "dark" wizards, Dumbledore was quite displeased. However, he could do nothing since he was the one who had called for house unity. He had not planned for this continuity.

At the end of a delightful, and for Neville enlightening, breakfast, the Slytherins and Gryffindors trotted off to their joint Transfiguration class. McGonagall was somewhat surprised at their camaraderie, but she merely raised an eyebrow and docked a few points for their tardiness. Who was she to get in the way of Harry's happiness? And he was happy. She could tell by the glimmer in his eyes that had been absent of late.

Ron tried to exact some pitiful revenge when he sent the block of wood he was trying to transfigure into a pillow, flying towards Neville's head. Kagome caught it with a simple shield smell and smiled. "Weasley" she drawled, causing him to pale, "Pillow fights occur when there are actually pillows." She levitated the block back to his table, grinning at his flinch.

The days following Samhaim passed with little drama. Neville became a frequent guest in the Slytherin dungeons, adapting to the temperament with surprising ease. The weather gradually became cooler, with each morning beginning in a world of cool fog. Classes progressed to increasingly more difficult levels, in which Kagome surpassed expectations in her skill. It was only towards the end of the month that she became more antsy. She couldn't keep still, had a hard time concentrating, and was increasingly irritable. It all came to a head on the final day of the month.

When Kagome moodily brushed Harry off and turned to the window, Harry grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "What is wrong with you Kagome?" he demanded. "You've been like this for weeks! Have we done something wrong? Your not pregnant, so what the hell is the matter?" He drew his hand through his hair in exasperation. Draco stood behind him, also waiting for an explanation.

Kagome was immediately repentant. "I, I'm sorry. I don't know what's the matter with me" she murmured, head down and with tears in her eyes. "It's like there's something calling for me. Something I need to do..." she trailed off as she once again looked out towards the forest.

Draco's eyes widened, "Of course..." he whispered. He caught Harry's eye, "She needs to balance herself in her natural environment." Taking on a lecturing tone he explained, "Elves, as magical creatures, have an intense relationship with there natural environment. Every so often, they need to re-establish their equilibrium by balancing their inner core with that of their environment's core."

"I can't believe I forgot" Kagome muttered.

Harry lifted her chin, "Are you all right for one more day, _dulceata_?" She nodded.


	14. Coalesce

The next night the three made their exit.

The wind blew silent leaves across the lawn as the hint of snow traveled along the wisps of air. All was still in the castle, all was quiet in the night. As Harry made his way out of the castle's entrance with the others, he stopped and inhaled deeply. His eyes glowed green for a moment as Kagome stopped beside him.

"It is a good time" she murmured to him, distractedly, already looking towards the forest. He nodded and took her arm to guide her. Harry caught Draco's eye as he looked over the top of her head. He was pale with well-remembered fear, but Harry's eyes reassured him. He would come to no harm with them here.

They made their way quickly through the trees, without disturbance. The trees seemed to be bending towards them, as if seeking to touch them. Their path appeared to be lit by the moonlight as Kagome took the lead. She walked as if in a trance, eyes shining with unseen light. When they had walked for, what seemed to Draco to be hours, Kagome stepped into a grove. The trees formed an almost perfect sphere, encircling a tree with pale markings on its bark. When Draco looked closer, the markings seemed to dance and swirl into new meanings. Kagome stopped and knelt at the roots of the tree; the boys stayed at the entrance of the grove.

The wind began to slowly pick up as leaves twirled around the kneeling girl. A soft tune echoed through the trees, and Kagome began to glow. She could feel it, deep inside her energy and magic was entwining with the power of this place, becoming one as the two forces meshed. She sensed the hoofed ones approach, but she paid it no mind. They meant no harm. As she healed, so she was healed.

Her eyes opened as the centaurs entered the grove. Draco started at their sudden appearance, but Harry lay a hand on his arm, reassuring. The centaurs bowed down to one knee with their forearm across their chest in fealty.

"We welcome you this forest, Light One" a male with a roan torso replied at her notice.

She nodded her head in greeting, "I am honored by the brothers of the forest. These are my mates." The centaurs rose at her reply and moved forward to greet Harry and Draco.

"It has been awhile Chosen One."

"That it has, Bane." Bane's eyes crinkled in amusement at Harry's reply.

Meanwhile. Kagome and the previous male had worked out some form of agreement, as she approached Harry and Draco.

"Harry. *Cocidius has offered his shaman as the presiding priest over a handfast" she told him with excitement.

Draco smiled, 'Now won't that be an interesting solution to our legal problem." Harry silently pulled her hand close and raised it to his lips while staring deeply into her eyes.

The centaurs led them deep into the forest until they arrived at a small stream, over which a slight bridge passed into a circle of oak trees. An old centaur with various feathers braided into his long silver hair and symbols painted onto his chest. He beckoned.

Only the three crossed to where he stood.

"_May the place of this rite be consecrated for the gods. _

_For we gather here in a ritual of love with three who would be wedded. _

_Harry, Draco and Kagome please come forward _

_and stand here before us, and before the gods of nature."_

_Tie closely bonds between these three._

They arranged themselves in front of the shaman. Kagome in the middle with Harry on her left and Draco on her right. The grove was lit by a blue glow.

"_Be with us here, O beings of the Air_

_With your clever fingers_

_Be with us here, O beings of Fir_

_Give their love and passion_

_Your own all-consuming ardor._

_Be with us here, O beings of Water_

_Give them he deepest of love_

_and the richness of the body, of the soul and of the spirit._

_Be with us here, O beings of Earth_

_Let your strength and constancy_

_Be theirs for as long as they desire to remain together._

As the shaman's deep voice called to the spirits of the elements, strands of light hovered around there clasped hands, knotting together as if to bind them to each other.

_Blessed Goddess and Laughing God_

_Give to these before you, we do ask_

_Your love and protection._

_Blessed be."_

"Blessed be" their response echoed through the trees. The ropes of light sank into their hands.

"_Above you are the stars_

_below you are the stones_

_as time does pass_

_Remember_

_Like a star should your love be constant_

_Like a stone your love should be firm_

_Be close, bu not too close_

_Possess one another, bu be understanding_

_Have patience with one another_

_For storms with come, but they will go quickly_

_Be free in the giving of affections and warmth_

_Make love often, and be sensuous with one another_

_Have no fear and let not the ways or words _

_of the unenlightened give you unease_

_For e Goddess and the God are with you_

_Now and always."_

"Is it your wish, Kagome, to become one with these men?

"I do."

"Is it your wish, Draco, to become one with this man and this woman?

"I do."

"Is it your wish, Harry, to become one with this man and this woman?

"I do."

"Do any say nay?"

None spoke.

"Then as the Goddess and the God and the Old Ones are witness to this rite, I now proclaim you bonded."

With those words a light shone, and three matching silver rings appeared on their fingers.

**Author's note: * Cocidius is the name of Celtic hunting god; possibly meaning "of the forest"**

**For the handfasting ceremony, I based it on a traditional handfasting, with some small changes. Let me know how it looks, it might still need some tweaking...**


	15. Congruence

All was quiet in Gryffindor tower. The girls slept soundly in their coverlets and the boys drowsed amidst the silenced snores of one Weasley. And, while their dreams had nothing to do with sugar plums, they were still nothing to sneer at. None noticed the empty bed in the farthermost corner near the window. But next to said bed, one dreamed too deeply.

Amidst Neville's dreams, there were glimpses of shimmering green scales surrounding a girl with sky-blue eyes and a boy with pale gold hair.

And in the skies of the young woman's eyes, flew the wings of an emerald eyed male. A male well known to the waking world.

In the enclosed room of the headmaster's office, Dumbledore allowed his eyes to twinkle maliciously.

The next morning, the Great Hall was experiencing its usual bustle of breakfasting students. None suspected the revelations the early morning would present.

There was a new addition to the high table, a large man well in to, what was obviously spiked, pumpkin juice and wearing gaudy robes that were only slightly less brilliant than the headmaster's. Before any commentary could circulate regarding this addition, Draco and Kagome entered, with Harry holding the rear. The three filed in and made their way to the Slytherin table to join up with Neville and Blaise. As Harry sat down, Dumbledore stood up with his usual dramatic flare and gestured to the stranger beside him.

"Attention students" he called, "I would like to allow you to congraduate Mr. Potter on his new status as ward of the Ministry." The Slytherins stilled. Dumbledore had announced this without a trace of malice, but they could all feel the room's temperature drop significantly.

Harry carefully sipped his coffee and set it down. Then he stood.

Glancing mildly up at the head table, he asked "And pray tell, what news bodes such a... fortuitous change in my status?"

Before Dumbledore could respond with, would most likely have been a grandfatherly censored version, the stranger interrupted. "Yer a bloody dark creature, that's wot. Ye dinna have independent status now, hear. Yer no better than an animal" he chuckled hoarsely.

"Ah yes, a Ministry drone. So very conspicious, Dumbledore" Harry murmured softly as his scales began to show. Before he could fully transform, Kagome placed her hand on his shoulder as she rose.

"And who doth thou think thou art, to wrest away from me my one true heart?" she demanded in the ritual verse. "As heir to the high elven throne, and scion of the Western Inu-Taiyoukai family, I object to such treatment of my lawful consort." As she spoke she dropped her glamor and held up her hand to reveal the signs of their handfast.

Before the astonished ministry delegate could pick his chin up from the floor and regain his bearings, Draco stood up.

"As a member of the Veela Court, and heir to the Veela Malfoy line, I take insult at such cavalier treatment of my mate. Thus, I call into bearing the legislation of 1613, which states 'no interference should be brought to bear on the members of the veela court, nor on their mates or else suffer severe consequences." So saying, he also revealed his handfasting.

With the triad completed, light shone between the three and ringed around them in an unearthly silver and gold, and it began to pulse. Harry lifted his head slowly, allowing the high table to see that his emerald eyes were rimmed in the same light as the bond.

"Perhaps thy congradulations should be rescinded?" he crooned softly towards the headmaster.

**Author's Note: Sorry this is so short, it's more to keep all the wonderful reviewers happy before I dive into next month's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and will be unable to do anything else...**


	16. Capriciousness

She watched the proceedings with a small smile. Things were wrappin up nicely. They no longer had to hide, their bonding was unbreakable and Dumbledore was put in his place nicely. Now all that was left was the small matter of introducing her mates to her brother... Oh and offing the dark lord. Easily dealt with.

She sighed as she felt Harry's power crackle over her skin, and she felt Draco shiver next to her.

As Harry turned to complete his dramatic exit with a flair of his cloak, Kagome got up and with a speaking glare towards the cowering figures at the high table, she followed, Draco besides her.

The Great Hall was silent, one could almost hear a pin drop, and the clatter of the owner of the pin reaching for it, sounded out like a gunshot in the absence of noise. But as the door shut behind the trio, the whispers erupted.

They were indistinguishable to the normal mortal ear, but Kagome caught glimmers of comments as she was leaving.

"Did you hear – voice so hot – creepy"

"I would love – two at same – not fair"

"How come she – all the – sexy"

Kagome smirked at the comments. It was the expected response to their "coming out." Nothing about the political consequences or how this might effect Harry's battle against his major opponent. No that woul be practical, and thus implausible for the school's populace.

"Of course – that must be!"

This last was from the lips of Granger, she recognized the tone. Her smile took on an even crueler form. And if the girl chose to make an issue of it... Well, she was sure she could come up with some fitting form of retribution. After all, new anatomy was just the beginning.

Her attention was drawn back to the ongoing gossiping by a small question from, what she recognized as a Hufflepuff.

"I wonder how they are going to do the Yule Ball?"

It was a good question she pondered, if the answer was not so completely obvious.

She caught Draco's raised eyebrow out of the corner of her eye. Ahh, so he had heard the question too.

She skipped forwards suddenly and latched onto Harry's arm.

Let them wonder. It would make the surprise so much better.

In the days following, they continued with their schedules as normal, the only difference in that they now combined the grouping between Harry and Kagome with that of Draco and Kagome, much to the further disgust of the Gryffindors, the bemusement of the Ravenclaws and the sappy happiness of the Hufflepuffs.

Still none dared to comment too loudly, besides Weasley who we already knew suffered from intense absent-of- a-brain syndrome. Unfortunately it appeared to be a chronic disease that would eventually lead to mortal symptoms, especially if he continued to annoy the triad.

However besides this invalid, the rest remained outwardly neutral when confronted with the power that seemed to shimmer around Harry.

True, bot Kagome and Draco were powerful in their own right, but they were drowned in Harry's emeral curtain of draconian fire.

Most teachers treated them as normal, the only exceptions in Snape and McGonnegal. Snape already knew, but now he was more open in his approval. And McGonnegal... well what did you expect? She was the extension of Dumbledore's will after all, and Dumbledore was not amused. Harry was continuously treated with looks of stern disapproval, which he responded to with bland disinterest. The Slytherin part of the trio, well she had never liked them. Long gone were the time when she would look with some small favor on Kagome as Harry's girlfriend. This, of course, amused Kagome to no end.

Meanwhile, sleeping arrangements had also changed slightly. No longer required to keep up the facade of a single Slytherin girlfriend. Harry threw away all pretensions and left Gryffindoor tower completely. The only thing remaining on his bed when the boys walked in after dinner one night, was a neatly folded stack of knitted green sweaters at the foot of his bed with a note attached by a pin.

There was no personal message, no heartfelt thanks or goodybe, merely three words. "Return to Weasley."

"It was enough" Harry had told Kagome when she leaned over his shoulder to read what he was writing. She nodded solemnly in reply, and then pulled him in to a comforting hug. She could tell it still pained him how his friends had turned from him, even though this emotion was hidden deep within him.

Instead of the gaudy bright colors of the scarlet and gold drapery of the Gryffindor dormitories, Harry now held a section of the enlarged bed of Draco and Kagome in the far corner of the Slytherin common room. Hidden by silver and avada kedavra green drapery.

The other Slytherins had worked together with the spellwork in forcing the castle to make these accomodations. It was not that difficult as the castle seemed to approve, but it was difficult getting the building that, while sentient, was still made out of stones, to unerstand. This arrangement was built on the agreement of strong silencing charms, of course.

Nott had asked for voyeur rights, but he was quickly silenced and immobilized by the others at the dark looks of Harry and when Draco made a lunge for the boy.


	17. Confirmation

The days passed and the night of the dance quickly came upon the residents of the castle. Not a word had come out on the arrangements for the dance, not even the colors of the girls dresses. Outside of the Slytherin common room there was continuous whispers and guesses. It was almost as if the other student, and even some of the professors, had nothing better to do with their lives.

Well yes, we already knew that the Hufflepuffs had little else of substance with which to bide their time, but the Ravenclaws!

Their efforts had been almost acceptable, at least in comparison to the tried and true bluffing method that Granger had used – though why the introverted bookworm was so interested none could tell. A few of the Ravenclaws had been promoted to pseudo Slytherins, on probation of course, with their use of multiple potions to disguise their espionage. The fact that they failed, and that it was known that they failed, meant that they would never know the nature of their upgrade of course.

But besides the secret ranking of their classmates, the Slytherins were involved solely in the usual runaround before a dance. Hair, makeup and jockstraps galore.

It all boiled down to the fifteen minutes, in girl speak but really an hour for the boys, of waiting for the fairer sex to appear so that their house could depart en masse.

The Slytherin males, with the expected addition of Harry, were lounging around the common room in suits waiting for their respective dates. Blaise was sulkily flipping through one of his school books as he was stuck with Millicent for a date.

Not that Millicent truly lived up to her reputation of an early version of "that cat woman." Millicent was quite charming, to tell the truth. It was only that Blaise wanted to go officially with Neville and had been planning on it, unaware that Neville had been roped in to going with the youngest Weasley and that his fall-back, Pansy had decided that she wanted to prove her individuality by going stag. Granted, Millicent was not that thrilled to be a third choice either, and she had let him know, in shrill tones of ire, that she was doing it out of pity for his borish manner.

Blaise looked up every so often at the saircase, impatiently.

At his last glance, the book fell with a thump from his unfeeling hands.

Harry and Draco looked up at the noise.

"We are the luckiest bastards" Draco murmmured with his gaze remaining on the figure at the top of the staircase. Harry nodded, speechless.

It was Kagome. She wore a gown of midnight blue that hugged her curves in all the right places. It was off the shoulder, revealing the slender lines of her neck; and the high slit revealed a long expanse of leg. To fit the winter theme, she wore boots that only served to accent her legs. Her ace was framed in soft tendrils that hung from her bun of negligent curls.

Blaise hissed his disapproval of their sense of superiorty act. Yes, they were lucky sods, no need to rub it in for the rest of them.

"Come along gentlemen" Kagome commanded as she breezed past them, her two males followed happily, leaving a sulking Blaise in their wake.

"Well?" Millicent demanded, holding out her arm imperiously as she smirked down at her erstwhile companion.

"Por supuesto, mu dulce" Blaise muttered wryly as he took her arm. The portal shut with a bang behind them and silence fell on the empty room, sharp contrast with the noise of a screeching Weaslette in the grand room that was once filled with long tables of feasting students.

Now it was swathed in cloths of blue and silver draping down the pillars that had sprung up by, what else, magic of course.

"What do you mean 'go find yourself another male' you're my date!" The Weaslette's voice had gone down several notches from her earlier exclamation, but was still heard distinctly by the group in the door.

Neville answered in a patient manner from which his previous explanations were obvious.

"Ginny you know I took you as a favor to our house. Well you're here and, as we have gone over before, I'm gay. So off you trot" He told her bluntly, quickly moving towards the refreshments table.

"Ahh Millie, it's been marvelous, but I believe that's my cue" Blaise remarked to a benused Millicent as he followed the previous males escape.

Millicent waved him off with a knowing smile and prepared to run interference with the Weaslette.

While these maneuvers were occuring, Kagome dragged first one, then the second of her erstwile mates to the dance floor. Fortunately Harry had decided that he was a bit more comfortable dancing with his mates than watching them dance with others, so he remained at their side.

Both Kagome and Draco loved to dance, and they were equally amused at the third's discomfort.

"Why Harry" Draco asked using his eyelashes to effect, "don't you like to dance?"

Harry scowled down at his new addition. Draco had attached himself to his waist and was looking up at him through the fringe of his lashes in a frighteningly feminine display as Kagome giggled from behind him.

"Yes Harry" she joined them, "don't you enjoy dancing?"

At this point Harry was so encumbered that he could not move.

"You are making a spectacle of us" he told them blandly with a wry twist of his eyebrows.

"And having the time of our lives doing so" they told him in sync.

From the sidelines, the headmaster watched the joviality with an eery blue light that always foretold bad things to come.

And, as the young adults trooped off to their various beds after a long night of music and too much food, he remained there, even as the torches flared out one by one.


	18. Contingencies

The next morning the sign up sheets were passed around for staying in the castle over break. Kagome snagged the boys' copies and let her fingers twirl around the quill as she propped her chin up with her elbow.

"You know, my brother has invited you to accompany me to his manor over break" Kagome announced, with false nonchalance.

Harry looked at her sharply, "And this is something you are just now mentioning?"

"Well obviously I couldn't cart you off while the populace was unaware of our bond" she snapped.

He backed off and pushed her mocha forward carefully.

She hmphed, muttering about the idiocity of males trying to converse with her while she was still pre-caffeinenated.

Draco looked confused, "but aren't you going to your father's?"

She took a large gulp and smiled at him winningly. "He has closed the gate against Voldemort's forces. If we entered, the gateway would be unstable."

"Where is your brother's manor" Harry asked, deeming it safe once more.

"Japan" she smiled. She was almost completely awake by this point, and the day was looking less and less gloomy. "We'll be using a portkey, he's going to send one of his retainers with it. Sesshoumaru doesn't like it when people suddenly appear inside his protection without warning. They tend not to get away unscathed, and that always leads to paperwork."

The boys paled.

"I'll handle the details" she promised.

She failed to mention that these "details" consisted of arranging failsafes and loopholes to whatever schemes the headmaster might throw at them. That little part of her that was still optimisic - yes that small glimmering behind the realistic shadow of her mentality still existed – hoped that Dumbledore would not notice. But the Slytherin cynic told her that, while he might pretend not to notice, he would instead plot against them without confronting them and that it was best to have a plan B.

That was why she was wandering through the deserted dungeons on one of the free weekends where Dumbledore thought it was a good idea to send defenseless students out to a civilian village with limited defenses.

"Ahh Alatariel..." the smooth voice of the man she was wandering around in search of spoke from behind her, " one might almost think you were... up to something."

She turned and scowled at him. He was smirking.

"Well no... I am not about to confront a three headed dog in search of a stone for immortality..." she answered neutrally.

He glared at her as she clasped her arms behind her back and smiled up at him.

"Severus, come back in and close the door" Lucius demanded from the doorway behind the dark man. "Why you insist on these freezing dungeons is beyond me" he muttered as he pulled them both inside.

Seating herself on one of the chairs near the fire she waited until they had both joined her.

"Now Kagome, what brings you to our... warm... abode?" Severus scowl deepened.

Apparently she had caught them in the midst of a lovers' spat.

She ignored the tension that was filling the room and continued, " I am officially inviting you and Lord Consort Severus to join us at my brother's pack-den" she said in ceremonial language.

"That is quite all right" Severus said shortly, "we" he motioned at Lucius, "had planned to go to Malfoy Manor."

She turned to Lucius without comment. "I hear japan has some very rare potion ingredients."

Lucius eyes shone approval at this move, but Severus glared. "You are entirely too Slytherin for your own good."

"Why do people keep saying that to me?" she demanded.

Snape merely smirked.

She smiled to herself as she walked through the turning passages to the Slytherin dorms. It was all going according to plan. This was the last bit of her contingency plot, now they only need wait for the arrival of her brother's minion.

A week passed without comment and Draco and Kagome were just beginning to hope the absence of signed documents would go by without a fuss, when Dumbledore intercepted them between classes.

Draco ignored him and dug through his pockets.

"The twenty knuts I owe you" he handed them over to Harry.

Harry looked over to Kagome and held out his hand with a raised eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes and reached for her storage of pocket money.

He made a show of counting them and smirked. "You two should learn not to bet against the inevitable" he told them mockingly.

Once he had pocketed the coins he turned to Dumbledore. The headmasters' eyes had been twinkling in a fashion they had learned to interpret as irritation, not that it was any different from the normal blue strobelight effect.

"Did you want something, Headmaster?" he asked innocently.


	19. Disappearance

"My boy" Dumbledore started.

Kagome saw Harry's eye twitch slightly, but it was only because she could feel his slightest emotions.

"I noticed you had not signed up to stay at Hogwarts over break." He was focused entirely on the dark haired teen, ignoring Draco and her.

Harry nodded sharply.

Dumbledore manipulated his face into a grandfatherly expression of concern.

"Harry, you must be more careful not to forget such things."

Kagome placed her hand on Harry's bicep, felt him tense and go very still.

"I took the liberty -"

"Don't" Kagome suggested pleasantly but with a grim look in her eyes.

"- of bringing the sheet with me for you to sign" Dumbledore continued, motioning with his hand and the parchment appeared with a small flash.

"Show off" Draco muttered as he moved closer to Harry.

Dumbledore extended the sheet to Harry, but Harry would not take it.

"Really my boy. Where else will you go?"

Harry's eyes were a deep green. Just on the brink of fury, and they glowed against the shadows of the castle. Reflecting the torches' light.

Kagome gracefully placed herself in front of Harry.

"He's coming with me."

She felt Draco's arms curl around her waist as he stepped up besides her.

"Would you rather we went to the Malfoy manor?" Draco drawled with false innocence.

Dumbledore's face darkened as he struggled to hold his grandfatherly mask.

"Harry I cannot allow -"

Harry's eyes flashed, "really?" he crooned.

Dumbledore quickly backpedaled, "Surely you don't think it wise to leave the safety of Hogwarts without Ministry sanction?"

Kagome shuffled through her bag, ignoring Dumbledore's irked glare.

"Ministry permission to sprend our break in Japan as a cultural representative for the Taisho family. Signed, stamped and sealed" she smirked, thrusting the pages into his hand. "And I have more copies if you happen to lose those."

"I knew there was a reason I adored you" Draco murmured into her ear.

Kagome smiled as Dumbledore fumbled with the sheets. "Apologies Headmaster, but we really must finish packing." Kagome smiled sweetly as she looked up into the accusing eyes of the old man, blithely ignoring his attempt at a compulsion charm. Amateur.

She grabbed the two boys' hands and headed off down the hall.

"Very sneaky Draco" Harry smiled once they were out of the Headmaster's hearing.

"Why thank you. I thought so too"

"Come on you two. We need to get ready, the portkey leaves early tomorrow. Preferrably before the Headmaster is awake."

Draco hurried off to start trying to fit his entire wardrobe in his suitcase.

"And how did you manage to obtain an international portkey on such short notice, dulceata?" Harry whispered into Kagome's ear as he pulled her back against his chest.

"Trade secret" she turned and whispered, accepting his kiss in response.

"Start packing you two" a flurried Draco shouted from the other room, "I am not going to be the only one with a decent amount of clothing."

"We'd better go before Draco has hysterics" Kagome smiled.

"I heard that Kagome. I'll show you hysterics" Draco shouted.

"Promises. Promises" Kagome shouted back.

The next morning saw them treading along the path to the gates while the sun had yet to rise and the fog still hung heavy on the grounds. Their luggage was shrunk and the house elves had provided them with caffeine and scones, freshly baked. Severus and Lucius met them at the castles entrance, both wrapped snuggly in their cloaks and clinging desperately to their sources of caffeine. Tea for Lucius and black coffee for Severus. Now all that was left was to leave the wards in order for the portkey to activate.

Which turned out to be a bit more difficult than they had thought it would be.

The gates stayed stubbornly shut despite Severus yelling the password at them irritably. They were supposed to open whenever a faculty member approached.

Kagome tried shouting the password in different languages and varying tones of voice. With accents. But no luck.

"Allow me" Harry offered after watching her antics for several minutes. He gathered his power, which flamed around his palm in an emerald green sphere. "I hate that color" he grumbled as he threw the sphere at the gates.

With an unhappy screech the gates shivered and creaked open. At the same time an alarm began to sound within the castle.

"And that's our cue" Draco drawled as he sauntered through the gates.

"Must you be so loud Potter?" Severus snarked as he passed, his cloak flaring dramatically.

"He always get's a bit irritable in the early morning" Lucius said apologetically, "especially when it's cold."

Kagome produced a necklace with a small crescent charm on it. "This thing leaves in ten seconds" she stated.

All five grasped the chain and in exactly ten and a half seconds it glowed and the figures disappeared from the fog enshrouded lawn of an old abandoned ruin in the north east of Scotland.


	20. Defiance

Despite the general opinion, teleportation is not instantaneous. There is an in between place that one must experience before arriving at one's destination. Even if such travel occurs in mere seconds. There was just enough time for Kagome to see a kind of blurring of her surroundings, an odd mix of the Scotland she was leaving behind and the Asian territories that she was more familiar with. When she felt as if she was being forced out of a hole and then suddenly released with a faint popping feel. She stumbled forward slightly but before she could fall flat on her face she was caught by strong arms.

"I've got you" Draco helped her regain her balance. She could feel Harry standing tensely besides her, standing in a slightly defensive manner as he took in the surroundings. She had forgotten how bad his experiences with portkeys had been.

They were in a large well lit room, with floor to ceiling windows and furniture in blacks and reds, covered now to preserve the heat. Comfortable chairs scattered with pillows and throw blankets, and a fire blazing in the hearth. Not the stiff plastic of office chairs despite the imposing mahogany desk at the far end of the room that labeled this as the study.

In the chair behind the desk, a tall man sat with his leg crossed and holding a book as if he had been reading. His silver hair was loosely tied back with a black ribbon, but strands escaped into his eyes that he brushed back with irritation. He was looking up now at the newcomers, amber eyes piercing behind wire framed glasses. A long clawed finger held his place on the page.

He was dressed in black slacks and a blue chinese style shirt with the top buttons undone and loafers that made Draco hum in approval.

"That is a very sexy man" Draco said, Kagome whapped him on the back of the head, "I deserved that" he smiled cheekily. Harry shook his head at them and went to greet Sesshoumaru, his shoulders relaxing the slightest bit at Kagome's obvious comfort in the imposing man's presence.

Severus and Lucius were watching their host with intent, they were more familiar with the different beings in this world and were aware the power radiating off him. Not that Harry was unaware, he just didn't know what it meant beyond seeing a very powerful man. But they knew; he was not a man and barely mortal. _Daiyoukai_ their minds told them. Knowing Harry was almost equal in power, they would wait and watch carefully.

But before Harry and Sesshoumaru could finish the required staring challenge, Kagome jumped in.

"Fluffy-chan!" she cried, completely disregarding the shocked looks on her mates' faces.

Sesshoumaru's eye twitched.

"Girl. That is not an appropriate title for this Sesshoumaru."

"Sure Fluffy-chan" she said dismissively.

His claws started to twitch as well.

Lucius decided it was time for his game face, as the youkai lord had yet to slaughter them all.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, may I introduce my bonded, Severus and my son Draco and his mates Harry Potter and, as you know, Kagome."

"A pleasure" Sesshoumaru answered, still glaring at Kagome, who was happily whispering in Harry's bent ear and completely ignoring the introductions.

"I will show you to your rooms so that you may settle in before we dine" he continued motioning them to follow him as he walked out of the room. He showed Lucius and Severus into a warmly lit room with green and silver furnishings and two armchairs placed in front of the fire. They entered with matching smirks at his intuitive color choice. The trios room was furnished in neutral blues and silvers. Harry prowled around the corners as Draco collapsed on the bed and began rearranging the pillos to his fancy, but before allowing Kagome to enter, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Little sister. A word."

Harry and Draco looked up sharply, a low rumble emitting from Harry's chest.

An answering growl, deeper and more gutteral came from Sesshoumaru's chest. Harry's eyes widened in surprise, but then turned into a deep shade of green, almost black.

"What are you?" he demanded, pacing forward with shoulders back, as if preparing for wings to emerge. Draco had gotten off the bed, eyes silver and holding a slightly defensive position at Harry's back. Neither of them held their wands. Neither of them needed them.


	21. Diligence

"He is Taiyoukai, lord of the western territories" Kagome answered seriously, "my brother." She sent a wave of calm to the boys through her bond, and they gradually relaxed. Draco went back to arranging the pillows just so and Harry gave a slight nod to the taiyoukai. Receiving a chill hnn in return.

Kagome rolled her eyes and followed her brother out of the room to a side chamber. Sesshoumaru seated himself behind a small table, gracefully folding his legs and remaining in the stiff posture that made Kagome slouch just thinking about it. He waited calmly as she arranged herself and allowed the hiss of the tea's steam to hold the silence.

She twitched. Waited. Fidgeted.

Finally she burst out, "Well?"

"Little sister. Patience was never one of your virtues" Sesshoumaru admonished.

Kagome hmphed. "And beating around the bush was never one of your faults" she replied in amusement.

His eyes creased at their familiar bantering, but quickly became serious once more.

"You are, I take it, aware of what you are stepping into."

She remained quiet for a moment. "Yes."

"Good."

They sat across from each other, sipping their tea in silence. Enough said.

After a few minutes, Sesshoumaru carefully placed his cup on the table and got up. At the door he looked back at the still seated Kagome. "Your training will be stepped up to include your mates. At dawn" he smirked slightly as he swept out of the room.

Kagome carefully placed her tea on the far side of the table. Then proceeded to bang her head on the wood while muttering darkly about sadistic older brothers who did not understand the concept of vacation.

The next morning, bright and early she was still grumbling and glaring about, albeit a bit blearily. Draco and Harry were a bit more awake, hyped up on nerves and adrenaline for the upcoming training. They had magic and their creature abilities true, but Sesshoumaru had centuries of experience.

Kagome tensed suddenly and the boys reacted a millisecond later to a flair of youkai. And suddenly Sesshoumaru was there, forcing them to go on the defensive. He sped between them singling out one and then the other, not using his swords but relying solely on his claws.

It soon became obvious that individual fighting would only exhaust them, and the trio gradually began to work together. Bouncing their attacks off each other or using one as shield while the others attacked.

After about an hour, just as they began to breach the point of collapse, things stopped suddenly. Sesshoumaru nodded, "good."

Then the real work began.

The days continues in a similar manner every morning and after a short lunch Sesshoumaru let them go to sight-see or just relax. Claiming he had work to do.

Severus dragged Lucius around the countryside hoarding herbs and potion ingredients. Having intense arguments with some of the youkai healers over the proper use of potions as medicine and enjoying what Kagome described as "the weirdest second honeymoon ever."

Before they knew it, it was the day of departure and they found themselves in Sesshoumaru's study once more, standing in front of the imposing desk.

Lucius was in the corner minimizing the large bags of ingredients Severus had accumulated over the course of the week. He was slightly darker; the sunlight and the outdoor hikes effecting even his pristine Malfoy paleness. Severus, well one couldn't really tell with Severus. His black clothing made everything else look pale regardless.

Kagome was exchanging enthusiastic hugs with all the friends she was leaving once more, even gaining a jump on Sesshoumaru which he allowed for a small moment and then straightened, telling her silently that it was time to go.

She smiled up at him. "Don't work too hard, Fluffy!"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

As Kagome rejoined the two boys, Sesshoumaru looked at them sternly.

"Harm her and die" he stated bluntly.

They nodded back seriously. They would never let any harm fall on their mate.

With a pop the portkey went into effect and they were once more in the cold and wet fields of Hogwarts, just beyond the gates. However, instead of the welcome they had received from Kagome's regal brother, they got an irate headmaster in outrageous orange robes.

"Crap" Harry said succinctly.

**Author's Note: **I know, I know, this was not up to my usual level. I struggle with filler chapters... Fortunately I have a great scene coming up that makes even me giggle.


	22. Disturbance

Kagome smiled as she sat curled up before the fire in the Slytherin common room. A couple blankets a few pillos and hot cocoa made the scene just perfect. Her housemates sat scattered around drowsing or studying at whim.

The everyday schedule had taken back up after the break.

The weather was still snowy and they were in the midst of a blizzard. A calm of sorts had settled around the castle. It was the early morning, breakfast would not be for a few hours and she knew that only her house and possibly the ravens were up at this time. Draco was seated next to her in a slouching armchair poring over a potions' text on Asian herbs, his blond hair falling into his face every once and a while, only to be distractedly pushed back.

Her stomach rumbled faintly and his eyes jerked up, startled. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hungry?" he moved to get up, but she waved a hand at him and moved to unwrap herself.

"I'll just head down to the kitchens" she murmured, unwilling to break the peace.

She shut the portal door behind her quietly and began the trek to the upper levels of the castle. Watching the shadows carefully; it wouldn't do to have an overzealous Gryffindor jump her. She'd hate to have to send the young wannabe lion to the infirmary.

As she neared the condition, a faint scuffling on the floor alerted her. Turning to glance over her shoulder as she walked, she was surprised to see the young Weasley girl step out timidly from a small classroom off to the sides.

Shy. Kagome thought immediately, but brave.

The girl approached Kagome carefully, glancing fearfully around her.

"Alatariel" she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "There's something I thought you should know." She glanced around her uncomfortably.

Blinking in surprise, Kagome stopped walking.

"It's... Ginevra right?"

"Ginny actually" the girl corrected with small red spots rising on her cheeks.

"Apologies" Kagome stated blandly. What could the Weaselette want?

Tears sprang to the younger girl's eyes. "You are in danger!" she blurted out. "My brother is plotting something terrible with Hermione. I couldn't... couldn't let them hurt..." she trailed off miserably.

"Do youk know _specifically_ what they are plotting?" Kagome asked sharply, focusing all of her attention on the girl.

At Ginny's nod she swung around and started walking in the opposite direction towards her mates' personal rooms.

"Come with me" she ordered.

"Where are we going?" Ginny asked as she struggled to keep up with Kagome's longer strides.

"To see Harry of course" Kagome answered as she pulled her around the corner and through a portal.

As soon as they entered they could hear the sounds of a shower running from the back, but it shut off as they made their way through the sitting area. Kagome could tell that Draco was here as well as she saw the book he was reading on the side table under his robe and school tie.

Kagome dragged Ginny into the back room.

"Dulceata, always a pleasure" Harry greeted her, unselfconsciously towelling his hair dry as he stepped out of the shower with a small towel wrapped around his waist. He glanced at Ginny who was blushing madly. "Why?" he asked obviously pained.

Ginny meeped and Kagome sighed, but before she could say anything Draco made his presence known.

"Bloody hell Harry! I never bargained for a harem!" Draco drawled as he poked his head out from behind Harry. "That's putting even my stamina to the test."

He glanced at Ginny, "Oh do close your mouth Weasley. Haven't you ever seen naked men before?

"Just get dressed you two" Kagome said, throwing their pants at them as Ginny eeped and covered her eyes.

"As the lady commands" Harry smiled, bowing sarcastically.

"Ginny has something to tell you" Kagome remarked over her shoulder, "I'm going to breakfast."

"Aren't you staying?" Ginny almost pleaded.

"Harry and Draco can handle it" Kagome waved her off.

Draco and Harry exchanged a look. _"This isn't normal behaviour_" Draco sent over their mindlink.

_"Is she reproducere?"_

"I hate it when you use romanian. You know that right?"

"Is she breeding?" Harry whispered back amusedly.

"Umm... My brother is going to make a potion with Hermione to poison you three" Ginny finally broke in.

"What?" the two demanded.

"Tell us everything" Harry demanded.


	23. Destitution

In a dark corner of the castle far removed from the bustle of everyday student activity, the dust swarmed as two figures in the dark robes with the blood colored insignia of the lions shuffled around a glowing cauldron, stirring haphazardly. It was a scene reminiscent of the stereotypical idea of witches; and it seemed strange to find this silent darkness in what was, for all intents and purposes, a children's school.

A spider scurried from one crack, only to be stunned and levitated into the pot by a familiar bushy haired... well she was a girl once more.

"It's for the greater good" Hermione whispered savagely at Ron as he stood hesitating. "With this we will eliminate Kagome as a distraction to Harry, and throw suspicion on Snape." Her eyes glittered sharply, full of resentment and a hunger for vengeance.

At the mention of Snape Ron's eyes darkened and he began pouring more of the bottled ingredient he was holding in the cauldron.

He wasn't interested in the calculations behind it, in fact he barely understood the larger scheme. He just knew that it would hurt Harry. That was the important thing. Harry wouldn't be such a big shot then would he? No. And even if the bastard hadn't gone dark, well he was a draconian for crying out loud, that was as good as dark.

"What is it Mione?" he asked as he continued cackling internally.

"It's _la vie bête noir_" she muttered distractedly, "it will turn her insane as she begins having hallucinations of nightmares. A waking dream that will eventually kill her." Ron grinned evilly. The bitch deserved it.

"Dumbledore gave me the recipe" she continued, talking to herself. "It's all for the greater good." The look in her eyes as she glanced up was very similar to Bellatrix, the way her unkempt hair fell over her eyes pushed the resemblance even further.

"Well well well" a voice murmured from the shadows, "What do we have here? Two little lions gone all astray?"

The two froze in fear.

"I wonder what your parents would say?" Lucius drawled as he stepped out of the shadows. Circling around them, he glared with gray eyes that seemed to glow in the surrounding shadows.

"You deserve it" Ron shouted belligerently as he made to lunge at the blonde figure. Only to be stopped with a stunning spell that was only just on the fair side of gray.

"Perhaps you'd like a taste of your own medicine?" he queried as he glanced down at the sickly green brew with a grimace.

Hermione gasped at the reference. "How did you...?"

"My dear girl, young Harry is surprisingly well informed on matters that have to do with his death?"

As he looked down at Hermione he laughed suddenly. "Ah! Didn't know that did you little bookworm?" he asked snidely. "If one dies, they all die. So you see there is something of a commitment to keeping each other alive."

He paused thoughtfully, "now where were we... oh yes you were just about to test a sample.."

"You wouldn't be so cruel?" Hermione whispered shakily.

"You think I'm cruel?" Lucius whispered, contemplatively as he continued circling Hermione. "You're quite right of course. When it comes to my mate I am a connoisseur of cruelty."

Hermione glanced around as if expecting a knight in white armor to pop up suddenly. No such ally appeared, but Kagome stepped into the dim lit room from behind Lucius.

"No" Kagome smiled a disarmingly sweet baring of teeth at the two. An expression that had Hermione resume quivering in fear.

"You would pardon them?" Lucius motioned toward the frozen figures with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Only preserve a wonderful piece of leverage." She looked down at the two, but directed her words to Lucius. "After all, you know Dumbledore would manage some way of making them inviolate."

He nodded and unfroze Ron as Kagome moved towards the door.

"_Laisser la punition ajuste le crime_" she muttered, "I'm sure Severus would be interested in knowing Miss Granger's and Mr. Weasley's inclination towards potions though" she added over her shoulder. "He is always looking for new proteges." Lucius smirked, vanishing the cauldron and departing with a dramatic swirl of his cloak.

Inside the empty room, a small whimper was heard, then silence.

It was only once she was several feet away from the classroom that Kagome collapsed.


	24. Dominance

She awoke in the middle of her two mates. Head on Harry's chest and with Draco's arms encircling her. She could feel a deep vibration from Harry's chest as he rumbled calmingly. It was almost like purring.

She giggled softly.

Draco stirred and woke.

"Mmm Kagome. You smell so good." he murmured as he buried his nose in her hair. Then he blinked as he awoke fully. "Not that you don't always smell divine, darling" he said as he looked down at her amused face, "but why now especially?"

"She's breeding" Harry muttered while his eyes remained closed. "Sesshoumaru told me this would happen."

Draco pouted as Kagome nodded at Harry's words.

"Oh don't worry Draco. It just means I'll be a little more clingy and that I won't do so well if I got too long withut contact to you."

"And the small fact that you'll be fertile right now" Harry added.

"Oh hush you" Kagome pulled a strand of his hair.

"Nothing much" Draco stated snarkily.

"Yes" Kagome said as she began untangling herself from them. "Classes are going to start soon and I need a shower from all the potion fumes." She finally got free and standing up she looked back at Harry seriously, "Lucius told you?" she asked.

"It's taken care of dulceata" Harry reassured.

As soon as he heard the shower start running, Harry bent and whispered to Draco, "She'll be more vulnerable right now. We'll have to be even more careful." Draco nodded, pulling Harry into a deep kiss.

As the week passed the watchfulness of the boys became even greater, recruiting some of their class mates to help. The days went by without much excitement, and it was only rarely that Kagome pushed her limits too far; waking up to find herself snuggled in the boys' arms and bemused faces. There was still a tense atmosphere when they came face to face with the two ex members of what was once labeled the golden trio, but they seemed suitably horrified and the boys flanking Kagome kept them relatively docile beyond angry glares and spiteful sneers.

Harry was pushing himself even harder, forcing more training on himself and staying out longer. He could feel that things were reaching a point. That something big would have to happen before the end of the school term.

It was on one of those late night training sessions, when Harry's side of the bed was empty and Kagome lay in Draco's arms that she voiced her worry for him. A faint uncomfort in his absence and how determined he was to battle.

"Draco?" she whispered as they lay together. He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her. "I'm afraid."

He said nothing, only pulled her close.

And it appeared that her fears were prophetice as Harry woke the next morning with a dark chuckle that was oddly jubilant.

"I've found it!" he crowed, shaking his mates awake in his excitement.

"Good for you" Draco muttered, turning over and trying to pull the blanket over his head.

"Uggh too early" Kagome grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Harry grabbed her shoulders and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Mmm. And a good morning to you Harry" she said a bit more cheerily after he released her. "I could get used to this."

But Harry was already up and throwing a shirt on, he began rummaging around and tossing items in what he called his "Voldie pak."

"All right, all right I'm up" Draco complained after the noise woke him up.

"Get dressed Draco. We're heading out" Harry called from the back room, bustling in a flurry of energy and adrenaline.

"You found him then?" Draco demanded, instantly alert.

"Yes" Harry chuckled, "Voldie was just a little too arrogant about his mental defenses."

Just then there was a knock from the portal. Harry waved his hand negligently and the painting slid open. Severus and Lucius entered carefully balancing several potion vials.

"You rang?" he snarked, eyes glancing at the green flames still smoldering in the hearth.

"We've found him Sev!" Draco looke up seriously from his kit.

"And you're going to rush in" Severus sighed in resignation. "You do realize it's a trap, I hope?"

"Of course it's a trap" Harry stated distractedly, trying to buckle the shoulder armor Sesshoumaru had given him over break.

"Here, let me" Kagome interrupted, pushing his fingers out of the way.

"Well as long as you know" Lucius said sarcastically.

"It's our only chance" Harry said seriously, "Hopefully he'll underestimate us. But it's our only clue to his whereabouts."

"Stupid Gryffindors" Severus muttered.

"But you love us anyways" Harry smirked.

He stilled as Kagome appeared from the sleeping area dressed in her own, lighter armor.

"I will go with you" Kagome stated firmly moving for her sword.

"It is too dangerous. The consorts, especially breeding consorts, stay behind" Severus told her sternly.

"Do you think I am defenseless? A weak hanger-on that survives purely at your pleasure?" she demanded of Draco, ignoring Severus. Draco looked at her helplessly.

"Kagome. We are trying to protect you" he murmured as he glanced at Harry pleadingly.

Kagome growled, showing Sesshoumaru's influence as her power flared in response to her rise in temper.

The room chilled slightly as Harry's power rose in contest.

"You will stay here" he growled softly, winning the battle of dominance with little effort.

Kagome found herself backing down and baring her throat instinctively as Harry moved to embrace her. She heard a small whimper and was amazed to discover that she was making the sound. She had never whimpered before.

The power level dropped as he touched her throat in acceptance.

"It will be all right dulceata" he murmured into her hair.

Draco folded her in his arms as tears began to leak from her eyes.

On the other side of the room Severus and Lucius were whispering lovingly, content to look into each others eyes for silent promises of return.

"You two had better come back" Kagome said fierecely as she broke away from the embrace, "I'll kill you if you don't."

Draco nodded and kissed her, ignoring the irony of the statement.

As Draco moved towards the door, Harry took her chin in his hand and pulled her into a kiss, forcefully and passionately. A little dazed she looked into his intense gaze as he whispered fiercely, "This is not farewell dulceata. This is a promise. We will return."


	25. Departure

The hours trembled past, inching along the hours as if they were repeating themselves. Wandering along the halls her mind kept returning to the confrontation with Voldemort. Worrying about her mates and wondering if her presence could make a difference.

Her classwork suffered as her mind was obviously elsewhere. Even in potions, one of her best classes, she could not force herself to pay attention. Tossing hand-folds of ingredients in randomly, and only bothering to stir every once in a while. It was a miracle that she did not blow the classroom to smithereens.

For once Severus did not call her on it. He was also too wrapped up in his own concerns. Though normally this kind of tension would have caused him to be even more snappish and contrary-wise. Still, the Hufflepuffs continued to tremble in their seats.

When classes were over she meandered through the halls in the general direction of her rooms. Her head was still lost in the clouds and her usual Slytherin watchers were stuck in detention or burrowed in the library, studying frenetically. She was on her own and her guard was slipping as too much of her mind was preoccupied.

That, and only that, was why she did not notice the castle's wards shiver and slip open just enough for a lone figure to slip through. And that was why said figure was able to catch her from behind, unwarned, and whisper a spell that had Kagome fall into blackness and unconsciousness.

Sleep, for her tired mind, was almost welcome.

The brutal awakening, however, was not.

Kagome started awake when she was thrown into a cold corner. The sudden impact of limbs on stone jarring her mind out of its rest. She blinked blue eyes open, only to meet crazed red ones.

"Voldemort" she muttered blearily, blinking awake. He cackled at her response, a high shrill noise that grated in her ears and made her temper spike.

"That was a stupid move you know" she spoke as she straightened her robes and stood, taking in her surroundings

"What?" he snapped at her.

"Kidnapping me. It's so...so ..." she appeared to struggled for the word.

"Ingenious?" Voldemort suggested.

"No it's..."

"Amazing?"

"No."

"Audacious?"

"... cliche" she finally offered. She smirked as he fumed, subtly working the bonds off of her wrists as he was distracted.

"You shall not escape" Voldemort shouted grandiosely.

"Fine. I won't" Kagome said from behind him after teleporting out of the corner. Just because his stupid wards stopped her from apparating out of wherever she was, didn't mean she couldn't move around inside them. "I'll stay here and grind your butt-ugly face into the dirt" she paused, "Tom." She smirked as his face twitched.

"Do not call me that" he spat.

"Why not?... Tom" she grinned.

"You're acting disturbingly similar to children" Harry growled lightly as he stepped out of the shadows.

"And Potter comes to save the day" Voldemort hissed victoriously, but Harry was ignoring him in favor of glaring at Kagome.

"I thought I told you to remain in Hogwarts?"

"Circumstances moved beyond my control" she answered, motioning towards Voldemort.

Harry swiveled back to Voldemort, "You kidnapped my mate?" there was definitely a rumble in his voice, and his eyes darkened to black.

"But of course" Voldemort giggled madly, "You didn't expect me to ignore such a beautiful bait?"

"Perhaps we underestimated your capacity for insanity." A voice from the doorway murmured in a familiar drawl. "Darling, I think this party is getting a bit too rough for my taste" the voice identified itself as Draco as he sauntered through the door, brushing off nonexistent dust from his sleeve.

His eyes were silver bright and trained with deadly intent on the infamous nose-less villain.

"Shall we dance?" he crooned malevolently.

"Let's" Harry snarled back.


	26. Denouement

The first spell was cast by Voldemort. As was always the case. The fiery red beam streaked from his ebony wand towards the two males, one with emerald eyes flashing and the others blond hair highlighting the darkness. Voldemort would always be the antagonist, it was the principle of the thing. Not that the resident protagonist was unprepared, he just chose to allow Voldemort to commit himself.

Their spells flashed continuously, the red streaked amidst the green of the two male's spells, because Merlin knows we must keep to our color symbolism.

Harry's spells were forces of raw power, each in its own right enough to knock a less powerful opponent off his feet. And, though Voldemort might be a few to many twigs short of a broom, he was a powerful wizard. Draco's spells, while not as physically powerful as his mate's, were sneaky. Entwining with Harry's spell to inflame with a nascent oil based spell to increase the damage. And finally Kagome. She practiced her own type of spells, not specific to a certain affect, but rather streams of pure light.

As the fight continued, Voldemort's patience waned. Though he was holding his own, he shifted away from the death spell. The incantation was too long, for one thing, and it never seemed to actually hit for the other. Previously he had been focusing on Harry as the main source of his ire. All of his spells were directed at him, practically ignoring the other constituents. That is why, when he doubled his original spell with a hidden second towards Draco, they were caught off guard, arraigning themselves around Harry.

Expelliarmus!

The spell was almost an insult, a reminder of Harry's past weakness.

The second spell was almost a whisper, a sibilant hiss in the dark.

Sectumsempra.

The spell streaked towards Draco. He was already blocking the disarming spell aimed at Harry, at the same time Harry was, focused on that. Only Kagome saw, only she could move.

Throwing herself in front of Draco, the spell missed his unguarded throat and hit her torso in a straight cut across.

Time paused, then crashed. The earth shook, Draco shouted, catching Kagome as she fell. And Harry? Harry roared, scales erupting across his face and exposed arms. Power even beyond his previous power barreled out of him at his mate's attacker. Hitting Voldemort in the chest mid victory snort and throwing him into the wall behind him. Before he could even think to cast again his body was torn apart in the fire of draconian anger. Disintegrating into a small unimposing pile of ash.

Which was ignored. Blatantly. Harry was on his knees clutching Kagome to his chest. His eyes were flashing, his pupils dilated as he "went dragon." He ignored the real world, clutching at Draco's mind for support. Desperately searching inside Kagome for her life core. Finally, he saw a faint glimmer. A thin strand of green, flickering slowly. He pulled it to his, trying to combine them. It was not enough until Draco intervened. Carefully melding his mind with the mind of Harry, he caught his attention.

"Here, catch" he said calmly and without a care for his own well being, threw his life core at Harry. Harry caught it, with a snort at Draco's almost Gryffindor action, and began braiding the three strands together. Carefully, oh so carefully.

When he finished, he watched as Kagome cautiously opened her eyes, amongst the living once more.

Before she could utter a word she was caught up in Draco's arms from behind, as Harry grabbed her chin for a fierce kiss.

"Don't ever do that again" Draco growled into her hair.

"Our lives are one. If one goes, we all go" Harry spoke deeply, stroking Draco's hair as he pulled Kagome close.

"As it should be" Kagome answered.

They turned as one as the door burst in to admit the Order members, too late as usual.


End file.
